Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This Topical Issue is about housing and the problems people are experiencing getting grants. It is the wish of the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and the Government that the social housing lists be reduced. This could be done if a number of things were rectified. To be eligible for grant aid from Kerry County Council a person must be 66 years of age. A number of years ago - I cannot recall when - a person in his or her late 50s, whose house was in bad repair, was eligible for grant aid of approximately €8,000, which is a lot of money to those who qualified for it. I have been approached by a number of people aged 50 years upwards who have been refused grant aid because, as I said, to be eligible for a grant a person must be 66 years of age. Many of these people end up on the social housing list because their houses are in bad repair. It may be that the roofs of the houses are leaking or that the windows and doors are in a bad state. Also, many of these people are unemployed. They might be in good shape but they cannot get work. If they were disabled they would be eligible for the disabled person's grant. As these people do not qualify for grant aid for house improvements they end up on the housing list.

In regard to the improvement works in lieu, IWL, scheme, while funding provided under this scheme is deemed to be a grant, it is actually a loan. Those who qualify for it are required to pay back a set amount each week to Kerry County Council, often by way of deductions from their social welfare benefits. Many people are being denied this facility because of the stipulation that to qualify a house must have cavity block walls. People whose houses have cavity block walls do not need a grant. People whose houses have stone built walls do not qualify for the improvement works in lieu scheme but they only find this out when their applications have been refused because of this stipulation. I am asking that this provision be reviewed because it is totally unfair. It is the people whose houses have stone walls that are in greatest need of this grant, which in my view should be termed a loan. Applications for these loans are required to be vetted by housing engineers. Applicants should be told in the first instance that if their house has stone walls they should not apply but they are not told this until after an application has been vetted by two engineers. The purpose of the first engineer visit is to determine whether the works qualify under the scheme and this is followed up by a visit from a second engineer, such that much time is invested in and wasted on assessment of applications. I am asking that the Minister review these two schemes. If he does so, it will help stop the flow of people onto the housing lists, as is currently happening in Kerry. There are many such cases arising in the Kerry local authority area.

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