Housing Act, 1966

Grants by Minister to housing authority for improvement of houses.

24.—(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 housing authority executing improvement works on a house of which they are the owner, in respect of each separate dwelling forming part of the house after the completion of the improvement 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 under this section shall not exceed—

(a) in case the works consist wholly of works of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d) or (g) of subsection (6) of this section, one-third of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works,

(b) in case the works consist wholly of works of the kind mentioned in paragraph (e) or (f) of subsection (6) of this section, one-third of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works, or

(c) in case the works consist partly of works of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d) or (g) of subsection (6) of this section and partly of works of the kind mentioned in paragraph (e) or (f) of the said subsection (6) an amount which is the aggregate of one-third of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works of the kind mentioned in the said paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (g) and one-third of the amount so estimated to be the cost of the works of the kind mentioned in the said paragraphs (e) and (f).

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

(a) as respects works of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a), (b), (c), (d) or (g) of subsection (6) of this section;

(i) in case the dwelling contains not more than three rooms, one hundred pounds,

(ii) in case the dwelling contains four rooms, one hundred and twenty pounds,

(iii) in case the dwelling contains five or more rooms, one hundred and forty pounds,

(b) as respects works of the kind mentioned in paragraph (e) or (f) of the said subsection (6);

(i) in case both a private water supply and private sewerage facilities are installed, seventy-five pounds,

(ii) in case a private water supply only is installed, fifty pounds, or

(iii) in case private sewerage facilities only are installed, twenty-five pounds.

(4) The Minister shall not make a grant under this section and under section 2 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962 , in respect of the same private water supply or the same private sewerage facilities.

(5) A grant shall not be made under this section in respect of a house unless the execution of the improvement works is commenced on or after the 1st day of December, 1964, and the Minister is satisfied that the house is suitable for the execution of the improvement works thereon and that on completion of the works the house is in all respects fit for human habitation.

(6) In this section, “improvement works” in relation to a house means works consisting of any or all of the following:

(a) the provision of an additional room or rooms involving an addition to the floor area of the house existing immediately before the execution of the works, and which, in the opinion of the Minister, is or are necessary for the relief of overcrowding;

(b) the provision of a fitted bathroom involving an addition to the floor area of the house existing immediately before the execution of the works;

(c) the provision and installation of a hot water system;

(d) works within the house consisting of the provision and installation of a system for the supply of electricity;

(e) the provision and installation of a private water supply;

(f) the provision and installation of private sewerage facilities; or

(g) the replacement or substantial reconstruction of a roof.

(7) A grant shall not be made under this section in respect of a house for which a grant has previously been made under this section within a period of fifteen years.