Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2009
406 Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount of money allocated for the three adaptation schemes including the number of applications outstanding; the value of these applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41844/09]
View answerAllocations totalling €79.562 million for 2009 were notified to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grant for Older People and People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the older Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant Schemes on 7 May 2009. Having regard to the continued priority which the Government attaches to these schemes and following an evaluation of the ongoing level of demand for grants, the level of expenditure to date and the capacity of local authorities to process and approve additional applications in the current year, I approved a supplementary allocation of approximately €12.5 million to some 26 local authorities on 12 October, 2009.
The detailed administration of the grant schemes, including the assessment and approval of applications and the payment of grants to individual applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed towards each of the individual schemes, from within the allocation notified to them by my Department, and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within their allocation. Over the period 1 January 2009 to 31 October 2009, a total of €53.218 million, relating to some 8,550 individual grant payments, has been recouped by my Department to local authorities under the various grant measures. Details regarding the current status of individual applications under each of the grant measures are not available in my Department.
