Housing Act, 1966

Further grants by Minister for reconstruction of houses.

22.—(1) Where a grant for the erection, purchase, reconstruction, repair or improvement of a house is made under any enactment (including this Act), whether before or after the commencement of this section, 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 the house a grant or grants of such amount as may be appropriate having regard to subsections (2) and (3) of this section if—

(a) the works are necessary because of damage caused by wind, rain or flooding,

(b) the works are occasioned by something (other than the matters referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection) outside the control of the person aforesaid and the works are certified by an officer of the Minister to be urgently necessary for the conservation of the house,

(c) the works are commenced less than fifteen but not less than ten years after the date of the payment of the last previous grant and consist of or include the replacement of roofing by roofing of slates, tiles or other material approved by the Minister,

(d) the works consist of the provision of a fitted bathroom and involve an addition to the floor area of the house existing immediately before the commencement of the works,

(e) the works consist of the provision of a room or rooms, involve an addition to the floor area of the house existing immediately before the execution of the works and are, in the opinion of the Minister, necessary for the relief of overcrowding, or

(f) the works consist of the provision of a room or rooms, involve an addition to the floor area of the house existing immediately before the execution of the works and the Minister is satisfied that—

(i) the house is situate in a rural area;

(ii) the room or rooms, as the case may be, is or are occupied as his normal place of residence by a person who has transferred his holding or a substantial part thereof to a member of his family or to the Irish Land Commission, and is or are sufficient for the needs of that person.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) of this section, a grant to a person under this section—

(a) in respect of works of the kind specified in paragraph (a), (c) or (f) of subsection (1) of this section, shall not exceed—

(i) 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

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

(b) in respect of works of the kind specified in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section, shall not exceed one-third of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works,

(c) in respect of works of the kind specified in paragraph (d) of subsection (1) of this section, shall not exceed—

(i) one-third of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works, or

(ii) fifty pounds,

whichever is the less, and

(d) in respect of works of the kind specified in paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of this section, shall not exceed—

(i) one-third of the amount estimated by the Minister to be the cost of the works, or

(ii) fifty pounds for each room provided,

whichever is the less.

(3) A grant or the aggregate of the grants made at any one time under this section shall not exceed—

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

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

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

(4) 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 in relation to the house in respect of works of the kind specified in paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section.