Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 532: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs when a full and detailed response will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo [37248/10]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Due to the high level of commitments and the large number of applicants on hand, the grant scheme under the Housing (Gaeltacht) Acts 1929-2001 was suspended with effect from 7 April 2009. Applications for new house grants, however, were accepted up to 15 June 2009 on condition that the applicant had full planning permission on or before 7 April 2009.

An incomplete application form for a housing grant under the Housing (Gaeltacht) Acts was received in my Department from the person in question on 3 July 2009, which was too late to be accepted. However, in error the applicant was not informed of the cessation of the grants at the time and the application form was returned seeking further details. The form was resubmitted almost one year later on 28 May 2010 and the applicant was informed of the position regarding the cessation of the grants on 10 June 2010.

While the delay in informing the application of the suspension of the scheme is regretted, the fact that the application form was not received until 3 July 2009 means that it fell outside the deadlines for acceptance of applications (i.e. 7 April 2009, or 15 June 2009 in cases where applicants had full planning permission on or before the 7 April cut-off).