Vol. 526 No. 3
288 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the position with regard to the essential repairs grant; the qualifications necessary in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26281/00]
Essential repair grants are administered by local authorities in accordance with the Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants) Regulations, 1993, and guidelines issued by my Department. The regulations and the guidelines give certain discretion to the local authorities in relation to the nature of works to be grant aided, the determination as to whether an application meets the eligibility criteria, the amount of assistance to be provided, the relative priority of applications, etc.
Under the scheme, authorities may pay grants up to the full approved cost of the repairs and recoup two thirds of their expenditure on such grants, to a current limit of £4,000 in any one case. My Department's role relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of the grants.
