Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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495. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide funding for stoves to local authorities such as Kerry County Council (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1030/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966, the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock, including the compilation and implementation of on-going maintenance programmes and the carrying out of responsive repairs and alterations to rented properties, is a matter for individual authorities. In addition to revenue funding local authorities may also use available internal capital receipts to fund improvement works to houses, including the replacement of open fires with stand-alone stoves for space heating where appropriate.

This year, my Department will be introducing a new capital grant scheme with funding of €15 million for the refurbishment of vacant local authority houses. The suite of grant-eligible works will include the provision of stoves for space heating. Details of the new measure will be announced shortly.