I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 to 135, inclusive, together.
My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to support the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability which support older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority.
The funding drawdown information requested is set out in the following table:
Local Authority
|
Exchequer Drawdown to 11 October 2023
|
Carlow
|
€1,052,536
|
Cavan
|
€1,025,561
|
Clare
|
€1,388,525
|
Cork City
|
€1,067,933
|
Cork
|
€3,696,350
|
Donegal
|
€1,945,683
|
Dublin City
|
€2,126,496
|
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown
|
€774,666
|
Fingal
|
€1,852,145
|
Galway City
|
€836,302
|
Galway
|
€813,007
|
Kerry
|
€1,736,139
|
Kildare
|
€2,738,508
|
Kilkenny
|
€968,843
|
Laois
|
€507,478
|
Leitrim
|
€406,615
|
Limerick City & County
|
€2,642,274
|
Longford
|
€366,759
|
Louth
|
€1,113,122
|
Mayo
|
€1,921,607
|
Meath
|
€1,786,780
|
Monaghan
|
€1,047,714
|
Offaly
|
€748,039
|
Roscommon
|
€340,187
|
Sligo
|
€907,936
|
South Dublin
|
€1,375,099
|
Tipperary
|
€2,168,790
|
Waterford City & County
|
€711,705
|
Westmeath
|
€689,330
|
Wexford
|
€2,470,619
|
Wicklow
|
€987,038
|
Details in relation to the number and value of grants awarded to date by local authorities in 2023 are not collated by my Department as the schemes are administered by local authorities. This information may be available directly from local authorities.
The Housing Options for an Ageing Population policy statement includes a commitment by my Department to work closely with local authorities to review the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme and the waiting lists in place for adaptations and publish this data on a yearly basis to identify any barriers and gaps at local and national level and help to streamline the process to ensure timely intervention.
My Department developed a new recoupment claim form which was implemented by local authorities on a phased basis throughout 2022. The new form captures data on the date a valid application is received, approved and paid by a local authority. This will allow the Department to calculate the average length of time that it will take a local authority to approve valid applications and issue grant payments over the 12 month period of 2023 taking account that local authorities submit recoupment claims in batches at various stages throughout the year. This approach will ensure that all local authorities are correctly represented in the resulting data to be available for publication by early 2024 in respect of 2023.
Question No. 134 answered with Question No. 133.
Question No. 135 answered with Question No. 133.