Vol. 509 No. 6
413 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the number of personnel involved in processing disabled persons reconstruction grants; the delay in approving such applications; the plans, if any, he has to amend the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21322/99]
The disabled person's grant scheme is administered by local authorities in accordance with the legal framework laid down in section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1979, and statutory regulations made under that Act. It is a matter for authorities to decide the level of funding to be provided for the scheme in their area, the staffing resources to be made available, the level of grants in individual cases and the circumstances in which a grant may be paid. It is, of course, also a matter for authorities to ensure that there are no undue delays in the processing of applications for disabled persons grants.
The framework laid down in the statutory regulations is, as far as practicable, designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility to local authorities in administering the scheme and I have no proposals to amend the regulations in this regard.
