Housing (Gaeltacht) (Amendment) Act, 2001

Schemes in relation to dwelling-houses.

9.—(a) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Housing (Gaeltacht) Acts, the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and in accordance with any regulations under this section, make schemes for the provision of grants or other financial assistance to a person towards the cost of the erection or improvement of a dwelling-house in the Gaeltacht, where the Minister is satisfied that the occupation of such a dwelling-house will not be detrimental to the use of the Irish language in that Gaeltacht area.

(b) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, make regulations for the purposes of this section and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may make provision in those regulations in relation to any one or more of the following:

(i) the maximum amount, expressed as a monetary amount or as a percentage of the cost of the improvement or erection or both, of a grant or other financial assistance provided under this section;

(ii) the persons to whom such a grant or other financial assistance may be provided;

(iii) the restriction of the number of dwelling-houses in respect of which such a grant or other financial assistance may be provided to a particular person;

(iv) the restriction of the provision of such a grant or other financial assistance in cases where grants or financial assistance out of public moneys or out of moneys provided by an institution of the European Communities have been provided in respect of the same dwelling-house;

(v) the provision of such a grant or other financial assistance in respect of a dwelling-house that has been damaged by fire, explosion or an act of God;

(vi) (I) the size, design, floor area and standards of construction of, and the provision of water, sewerage and other services for, a dwelling-house,

(II) the suitability of a dwelling-house for improvement and the type and purpose of improvement works,

(III) the occupation of a dwelling-house,

(IV) the social, financial and family circumstances of the occupiers or the intended occupiers of a dwelling-house,

(V) the use of the Irish language by the occupiers or intended occupiers of a dwelling-house,

in respect of which such a grant or other financial assistance may be provided.

(c) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, make a scheme amending or revoking a scheme under this section.