Vol. 497 No. 2
268 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the maximum grant payable by local authorities for house conversion for the disabled; when the level of grant was last increased; if he will substantially increase the grant in view of the fact that, with the increase in building costs, the current level is inadequate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24385/98]
Under the regulations governing the disabled persons grant scheme, my Department recoups to housing authorities 50 per cent of the cost of each disabled persons grant paid by them, subject to a maximum which was last increased to £4,000 in respect of works commenced on or after 1 March 1993. There is no maximum grant set out in the regulations. However, as housing authorities generally limit the grant they pay to twice the maximum recoupment available from my Department, the effective ceiling generally for the disabled persons grant is £8,000.
Improvements to the terms of the disabled persons grant scheme are under examination in the context of the Government's An Action Programme for the Millennium. I hope to be in a position to announce decisions arising from this examination in the near future.
