Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there are grants available to persons for refurbishment or upgrading second hand houses which they have purchased; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25649/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which is administered by the local authorities, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out, in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. Grants are also available from my Department for the renewal or repair of thatched roofs of houses.

Outside of these grant schemes, there is no specific grant scheme currently available from my Department for refurbishing or upgrading second hand houses and I have no plans to introduce such a scheme. The Home Energy Saving scheme, which is administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), provides grants to homeowners for improving the energy efficiency of their homes in order to reduce energy use and costs. This scheme, which falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, is open to all owners of existing homes built before 2006.