Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 6

Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.

Michael Ring

Question:

110 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment his policy in relation to local authorities installing heating into their houses which are rented out to tenants; whether there is a difference between Dublin Corporation and Mayo County Council in this regard in view of the fact that a person in Mayo applied under the disabled person's grant scheme for heating and was turned down and a person living in a Dublin Corporation house can get heating installed under the same grant scheme. [5541/97]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Ms McManus)

I assume that the question relates to the provision of heating in a rented local authority house occupied by a person with a disability.

Under the Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants) Regulations, 1993, a local authority may pay a disabled person's grant in respect of works of adaptation that, in the opinion of the authority, are reasonably necessary for the purpose of rendering a house more suitable for the disabled person. Subject to the regulations, it is a matter in individual cases for local authorities to determine eligibility for a grant and the type of works for which a grant may be given. Local authorities were informed by my Department in May 1996 that, for the purposes of determining the level of a disabled person's grant, the cost of providing central heating may be included in the overall cost of necessary adaptation works. In circumstances, where a proposed central heating system extends beyond the accommodation for the disabled person, an apportionment of the cost is made.