Vol. 508 No. 5
104 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the total budget of the special housing grant aid for the elderly allocated to the Western Health Board in County Galway in each of the years 1997 to 1999; the number of applicants under the scheme in this area; the waiting period for applicants; and the number of applicants on the waiting list. [19359/99]
A total of £750,000 and £970,000 for the operation of the scheme of special housing aid for the elderly within its area was allocated in 1997 and 1998 respectively, to the Western Health Board by the task force which administers the scheme under the aegis of my Department. An initial allocation of £820,000 for 1999 was notified to the health board in February and a further allocation will be made shortly.
On the basis of the most recent returns furnished by the Western Health Board, a total of 1,901 applications were on hands at 30 June 1999 of which 1,113 were in County Galway. The waiting time for applicants would depend on a number of factors, including the resources available for the scheme and the relative urgency of individual cases. Detailed information in relation to the operation of the scheme is not available in my Department, as the scheme is operated at local level by the health board, from whom information on the position relating to any individual case may be obtained.
