Housing and Labourers Act, 1937

Grants by Minister and urban authorities in respect of certain works executed on houses in urban areas.

5.—(1) Where after the passing of this Act a notice has been served under section 19 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1931 (No. 50 of 1931), by an urban authority on a person having control of a house in an urban area and such person has executed on such house the works specified in such notice, then, subject to the provisions of this section:—

(a) the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to the prescribed regulations, make, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, to such person a grant in respect of such works, and

(b) such urban authority may also make to such person a grant in respect of such works.

(2) No grant made under this section by the Minister or an urban authority in respect of any works executed on a house shall exceed whichever of the following amounts is the smaller, that is to say:—

(a) £40 for each separate dwelling forming part of such house after the execution of such works,

(b) one quarter of the cost of such works.

(3) The Minister shall not make under this section a grant in respect of works executed on a house to which this section applies where it is shown to his satisfaction that throughout such execution rates of wages have not been paid or conditions of labour observed at least as advantageous to the persons employed on such execution as the appropriate rates of wages or conditions of labour generally recognised by trade unions at the commencement of such works.

(4) No grant shall be made under this section in respect of works executed on a house situate in a county borough or in the borough of Dun Laoghaire unless the Minister and the urban authority agree to make grants of equal amount in respect of such works.

(5) An urban authority shall not make a grant under this section in respect of works executed on a house situate in an urban area (other than a county borough or the borough of Dun Laoghaire), unless the Minister also makes in respect of such works a grant of an equal or greater amount.

(6) Sub-section (3) of section 5 of the Principal Act and the immediately preceding section of this Act shall apply in respect of grants by the Minister under this section in like manner as if such grants were grants under section 5 of the Principal Act as amended by any subsequent enactment (including this Act).

(7) For the purposes of this section an urban authority shall have the like powers of raising expenses and of borrowing money as are conferred on them by Part III of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, as amended by any subsequent enactments.

(8) Where the Minister makes a grant under this section to any person in respect of works executed on a house, the following provisions shall apply and have effect, that is to say:—

(a) the Minister may require such person as a condition of receiving a grant to enter into any undertaking which seems proper to the Minister in respect of the maximum rent to be charged by such person for such house or for any separate dwelling forming part of such house after the execution of such works;

(b) where such undertaking is so entered into, no rent shall be payable by the tenant of such house or such separate dwelling which is greater than the maximum rent permitted by such undertaking;

(c) the Minister may require such person as a condition of his receiving a grant to enter into any undertaking which seems proper to the Minister in respect of the rates of wages to be paid or the conditions of labour to be observed in the execution of such works.

(9) The Minister may make regulations providing for any matter or thing which under this section is to be provided for by the prescribed regulations.