Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 3

Written Answers. - Disabled Person's Grant Scheme.

John McGuinness

Question:

192 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the delay in processing applications under the disabled person's grant scheme; and if he intends to increase the level of funding in this area. [18682/00]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy):

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 the local authority to decide the level of grants in individual cases and the circumstances in which a grant may be paid, and I have no function in relation to the determination of eligibility or otherwise in individual cases. It is, of course, also a matter for the authority to ensure that there are no undue delays in the processing of applications for disabled persons' grants.

I have introduced significant improvements to the terms and conditions of the disabled person's grants scheme in the past 18 months with the effective maximum grant now £14,000 and cover ing 90% of the approved cost of the works in the case of private houses. Grants are funded initially at local authority level from the authorities' own resources within the amounts included for that purpose in the local authorities' own estimates of expenditure. My Department then recoups two-thirds of the amount of the grant paid by the local authority. My Department sets overall expenditure limits for a number of schemes combined – disabled persons' grants, essential repairs grants and house improvement loans – in the form of capital spending allocations that are based on estimates of demand for the schemes provided by the authorities. It is, of course, open to housing authorities to seek a higher allocation in the event of increased demand under the scheme.