Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise two housing issues. If a person builds his or her own house but starts the work before applying for a council loan from Mayo County Council then he or she will not get the loan, which I think is crazy. If people have a certain amount of work completed and then decide they do not have enough of their own money to complete the work then they will not get a council loan. I have checked this matter with the relevant Department which says that this is probably the letter of the law but the local authority could find ways around that. I ask that the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications make further regulations, or if there is a review by the Housing Authority that it would make recommendations, to ensure where a person is building a house but has some of the work completed and then decides to apply for a council loan that he or she will not be refused on those grounds alone. I ask that because if the house were put up for sale, another person could get a council loan to buy the house and finish off any work. It is crazy that one person can get a loan while another person cannot; therefore, the Minister should address the matter.

I refer to the reconstruction grant of €70,000 for old houses. The scheme has a very tight timeframe of 12 months to complete the work. I ask the Minister to review the regulations, or the Housing Authority if it reviews regulations, and look at this matter because 12 months is a very short period to start the work. There are quite a number of people who are afraid to start the work because they may not complete the work on time and, therefore, will not get the €70,000 grant or whatever amount of grant for which they would qualify.

I ask that the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications examine these two very important housing areas. As I have outlined, they will not make any great difference but they make a great difference to the people who apply for either the loan or grant. As I think the Minister could immediately review these matters I ask the Acting Leader to bring them to his attention or arrange a debate on these matters.