Question to the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government (Mr. Alan Kelly, TD)

To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funding levels available to councils for home adaption grants; his plans to amend the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter – Jerry Buttimer

For WRITTEN ANSWER on 12, May, 2015.

REPLY

Exchequer funding of over €37 million was provided by my Department to local authorities in 2014 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability. Combined with an additional 20% contribution by individual local authorities, there was an overall spend last year of €46.3 million in this area. I am pleased to confirm that the 2015 amount will increase by some 10% to give a combined spend of €50.5 million. The 2015 allocations are currently under consideration in my Department and will issue to local authorities shortly.

The detailed breakdown of exchequer funding for these grant schemes, as provided by my Department to each local authority over the period concerned, including the number of grants paid, is available on my Department’s website at the following link, , and by then selecting ‘Social and Affordable Housing’, ‘Housing Adaptation Grants by Area 2008 to date’. The schemes are generally 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from each local authority.

My Department also provides funding to local authorities towards the cost of adaptations and extensions to the social housing stock to meet needs of local authority tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. Funding from my Department meets 90% of the cost of such works, with each local authority providing the remaining 10%. Exchequer funding of €8m was provided to local authorities in 2014 in this regard. The administration of the grants is a matter for individual local authorities. My Department has received proposals in relation to this scheme for 2015 from each local authority which are currently being examined with a view to allocating funding to each authority as soon as possible.

There are no plans to amend these grant schemes. Their detailed administration is a matter for individual local authorities and, therefore, information in relation to the number of applications awaiting extensions, the number of those awarded medical priority who are awaiting building work to commence and the number of works carried out for each authority is the responsibility of the relevant local authority and is not available in my Department.

The ‘National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011-2016’ is available on my Department’s website. It sets out a framework for the delivery of housing for people with disabilities through mainstream housing policy, including the provision of adaptation grants and other housing supports for people with a disability.