Housing Act, 1966

Grants by Minister to persons for reconstruction of houses.

21.—(1) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, make, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, to a person for the reconstruction of a house, in respect of each separate dwelling forming part of the house after the completion of the works, a grant of such amount as may be appropriate having regard to subsections (2) and (3) of this section.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) of this section, a grant to a person under this section shall not exceed—

(a) in case the person reconstructs a house for his own occupation, and derives his livelihood solely or mainly from the pursuit of agriculture and the rateable valuation, or the aggregate of the rateable valuations of the land (if any) and buildings occupied by him does not exceed sixty pounds, two-thirds of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works, and

(b) in any other case, one-third of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works.

(3) A grant under this section shall not exceed—

(a) in the case of a dwelling containing not more than three rooms, one hundred pounds,

(b) in the case of a dwelling containing four rooms, one hundred and twenty pounds, and

(c) in the case of a dwelling containing five or more rooms, one hundred and forty pounds.

(4) A grant shall not be made under this section in respect of a house unless the Minister is satisfied that the house is suitable for reconstruction.

(5) In this and in the next following section, “reconstruction” in relation to a house includes any works carried out to the house (whether for the purpose of extending, enlarging, improving or repairing the house) that, in the opinion of the Minister, are reasonably necessary for the purpose of rendering the house more suitable for human habitation, but does not include decoration, and cognate words shall be construed accordingly.

(6) Subject to subsection (7) of this section, the Minister shall not make a grant under this section in respect of a house in respect of which a grant under any enactment (including this Act), other than a grant for the provision and installation of a private water supply or private sewerage facilities or both such water supply and sewerage facilities, has been made within the preceding fifteen years under any enactment (including this Act).

(7) A person shall not be disentitled to receive a grant under this section by reason of the fact that a grant has previously been made under any enactment (including this Act) in respect of works which were necessary because of damage caused to the house by wind, rain or flooding.