Vol. 572 No. 1
186 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government his plans to extend social housing legislation to include people with disabilities, the majority of whom are excluded by the requirement to be in full employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22628/03]
People with disabilities who are unable to provide housing for themselves from their own resources are entitled, irrespective of employment status, to apply for social housing under existing legislation. Under section 9 of the Housing Act 1988, local authorities are required to identify the disabled or handicapped as specific categories when assessing the need for housing. The results of the 2002 assessment of housing need indicated that 423 households or 1% of the total net need were categorised as disabled/handicapped.
Local authorities normally provide accommodation for disabled people as part of their social housing programmes, generally in small specifically designed housing schemes linked to local services. Figures available to my Department indicate that local authorities provided some 115 units of accommodation specifically for disabled people in 2002. This adds to a significant stock of housing provided by local authorities over many years.
Capital funding is also available under my Department's voluntary housing capital assistance scheme to approved housing bodies for the provision of special needs housing schemes to provide accommodation for groups such as the elderly, disabled and the homeless.
