Vol. 509 No. 4
278 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the budget of the special grant aid for the elderly allocated to the North-Western Health Board in County Donegal for 1998 and 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. [20759/99]
A total of £465,000 and £565,000 for the operation of the scheme of special housing aid for the elderly within its area was allocated in 1998 and 1999, respectively, to the North-Western Health Board by the task force which administers the scheme under the aegis of my Department.
On the basis of the most recent returns furnished by the North-Western Health Board, a total of 173 applications were on hands at 30 June 1999, of which 140 were in County Donegal. 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.
