Olivia Mitchell
Question:272 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if all local authorities operate the essential repairs grant scheme; and the percentage which can be recouped by the local authority. [14678/01]
Written Answers. - Housing Grants.
County councils and county borough corporations are the only housing authorities legislatively empowered to carry out the full range of housing functions under the Housing Acts, including the payment of disabled person's and essential repairs grants. The borough corporations, urban district councils and town commissioners, although they carry out other housing functions, do not administer the essential repairs grant. The relevant county council operates the scheme on their behalf. I extended the essential repairs grants scheme to urban areas in December 1998. At that time five county councils and all five county borough corporations did not operate the scheme. A number of these have introduced the scheme since then and I am now informed that, currently, only three of the 34 relevant authorities do not administer the scheme, namely, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, and Cork and Limerick Corporations.
Under section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1979, it is a matter for local authorities to decide whether they pay grants under the scheme. However, my Department has recently written to each authority indicating the importance I attach to the availability of the disabled person's and essential repairs grants schemes in each local authority area. I consider that potential beneficiaries should not be excluded from grant assistance simply because they reside in the administrative area of a particular local authority.
In 1998, I increased the percentage recoupment that is paid by my Department to local authorities from 50%, which it was when I took office, to two thirds of the amount of the grant paid by the local authority. I have also increased the maximum amount of my Department's recoupment to the local authority per grant paid on three occasions, bringing the maximum recoupment per grant from £900 in 1997 to £5,000 currently. As a result, the effective maximum essential repairs grant available has been increased from £1,800 in 1997 to £7,500 now.
Olivia Mitchell
Question:273 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has any plans to reintroduce the refurbishment grant for non-habitable homes. [14679/01]
There are a number of targeted options available to assist vulnerable groups such as lower income households and elderly persons to secure necessary improvements works to their houses. These include the local authority house improvement loan scheme, the disabled person's and essential repairs grants scheme, the improvement works in lieu of local authority housing scheme and the task force on special housing aid for the elderly. I have no proposals at this stage to reintroduce a more generally available house improvement grants scheme. Any consideration of a reintroduction of house improvement grants must have regard to the capacity constraints in the construction sector and consequent impacts on costs and availability of contractors.