Vol. 457 No. 7
9 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for the Environment if he will have additional funding made available under the housing aid scheme for the elderly in view of the demand for water and sewerage facilities to many dwellings and the high cost of provision of such services. [14463/95]
150 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for the Environment the proposals, if any, he has to allocate additional funding for the provision of water/sewerage basic facilities, to aged persons residing in their own homes either through an additional allocation to the housing aid for the elderly scheme operated by the health boards or through the local authorities. [15907/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 150 together.
In recognition of the valuable work being done under the aegis of the Task Force on Special Housing Aid for the Elderly, including the installation of water water and sewerage facilities, I arranged for an increase to £3 million in the 1995 provision for this scheme, an increase of £1 million on the provision decided by the former Government on 29 November 1994 when approving the Estimates for 1995. I cannot indicate as the House will be aware the funding to be provided next year for the Task Force until the final Estimates are published by the Government.
It is unacceptable for the elderly to be living in houses without the basic facilities of water and sewerage and that grants are not available from the Department. The only grant available is provided by the health board. The funding is completely inadequate. The Minister mentioned a figure of £3 million but he must realise that in 1994 Fianna Fáil allocated £2 million. The Minister is talking about £3 million this year but it was £4 million for the previous year. No matter how one looks at it the figure has been reduced by £1 million.
The Deputy will use the figures to suit his cause. The published figure in the 1994 Estimates was £2 million. An additional £2 million became available through the proceeds of the much vaunted tax amnesty.
That is £4 million.
The Deputy will be aware that £100 million was allocated to the health boards in 1994 from the same source. That was not reallocated in 1995 because the proceeds of the tax amnesty were not available. All the 1994 benefits as a result of the tax amnesty were in addition to the allocations published in the Book of Estimates. That point was reinforced in the Budgetary Statement of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Ahern. There was a Fianna Fáil minority Government in power for one month and on 29 November it passed a Book of Estimates which allocated £2 million for 1995.
The good old days.
When I became Minister I increased that figure by £1 million.
That is totally inadequate. I ask the Minister to look at this matter again. I asked the health board in my area to undertake a study in conjunction with the local authorities in the North-Eastern Health Board area of the number of houses without basic facilities.
I agree with the Deputy. Housing aid for the elderly is an effective programme. We get great value for the work done and that is why I augmented that portion of the Book of Estimates when I became Minister. I will do my best to continue that programme in 1996.
It is universally accepted that the scheme represents the best value for money and the funding for it should be increased.
