Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 6

Written Answers. - Grant Payments.

Willie Penrose

Question:

315 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if local authorities will be provided with additional moneys required to enable them to meet their obligations under the disabled persons grants scheme, in view of the large number of applicants awaiting approval; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17229/03]

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Cullen):

Significant improvements have been made in recent years to the maximum disabled persons grant and to the level of recoupment available to local authorities. Expenditure on the scheme has increased from €13 million for 2,455 grants in 1998 to €52.6 million for 5,932 grants in 2002. In line with this increase in the Department's capital provision for the scheme, recoupment costs have also increased significantly from €6.3 million for 2,512 grants in 1998 to almost €31.5 million for 5,070 grants in 2002. The improvements to the scheme have necessarily resulted in greater activity and the demand for additional resources.

The administration of the disabled persons grant scheme is a matter for individual local authorities and is operated within a framework, laid down by statutory regulations, which is designed, as far as is practicable, to give them an appropriate degree of flexibility in administering the scheme. It is a matter for the authorities to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the scheme in their areas from within the combined allocations, totalling €55 million, for disabled persons and essential repair grants notified to them on 5 June 2003. My Department also recoups to local authorities two thirds of their expenditure on the payment of individual grants and it is the responsibility of authorities to fund the balance from their own resources from amounts provided for that purpose in their annual estimates of expenditure.