Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Mar 2003

Vol. 563 No. 6

Written Answers - Local Authority Grants.

Seymour Crawford

Question:

92 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if all county councils and local authorities are providing disabled persons grants and essential repairs grants; if not, the authorities which are actually providing them; the waiting lists there are in each of the relevant local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8610/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)

As the administration of the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes is a matter for individual local authorities, it is a matter for the authorities to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the schemes in their areas from within the combined allocations notified to them for this purpose by my Department. My Department also recoups to local authorities two-thirds of their expenditure on the payment of individual grants and it is the responsibility of the authorities to fund the balance from their own resources from amounts provided for that purpose in their annual estimates of expenditure.

Statistics in relation to the operation of the disabled persons and essential repair grants schemes in individual local authority areas in 2002, which are currently being finalised in my Department, and will provide information on the extent to which each local authority is operating the schemes. The statistics will be published shortly in the Annual Housing Statistics Bulletin, 2002, copies of which will be placed in the Oireachtas Library.

Estimates of their expenditure this year on the disabled persons and essential repair grant schemes submitted by local authorities are also being examined in my Department and, when all such estimates have been received, authorities will be notified of their capital allocations for the schemes in 2003 without delay.