A local Senator is calling for the value of grants that relate to refurbishments, retrofitting or construction to be increased.
Senator Fiona O’Loughlin who hails from Rathangan in Kildare, says that the overall cost of constructing a home had increased by up to 30%
The cost of timber has risen by 30% while the price of sand and gravel rose by 22% in the year.
While PVC pipes and fittings cost an average of 10.5% more than they did last summer.
All of this, according to Senator O’Loughlin, has a direct impact on the cost of construction for the builder and ultimately the consumer.
She said: “This is having a particularly negative impact on those who are relying on grants to complete works.
“I have been contacted by people who have been struggling to get works completed within the budget offered by certain grants”
“This is not only affecting large construction projects, or refurbishments it is also affecting those who are receiving Council grants for essential maintenance and repairs.
“The grant amount in many cases, is simply not enough to carry out the repairs
“If we are offering grants to applicants who meet the eligibility criteria, then the value needs to be sufficient to complete the works.”
Fiona concluded: “The cost of construction and the value of grants being offered are now drastically out of sync, and we need to see the value of these grants keeping pace with the cost of completing the works.”
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