JOINT COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT debate -
Tuesday, 28 Jul 2009

Business of Joint Committee.

Vice Chairman (Deputy Pádraic McCormack)

Apologies have been received from Deputies Fleming, Hogan, Tuffy and Christy O'Sullivan. The minutes of the meeting of 21 July have been circulated. Are they agreed? Agreed.

The next item on our agenda is correspondence received by the joint committee and circulated since the last meeting. Item No. 546 is Europe's World newsletters Nos. 23 and 24 of 2009. The correspondence is noted.

Item No. 547 is European policy update magazine No. 123 and GLOBE-Net magazine. The correspondence is noted.

Item No. 548 is the ministerial press release on the instruction to local authorities to publish the results of their drinking water sampling programmes for the information of the public, which is noted. I could say something about it but will resist.

Item No. 549 is the European water newsletter No. 63. The correspondence is noted.

We have received a number of circulars. Circular No. 1 is PD 7/09, Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation) Regulations, SI 684 of 2007. Circular No. 2 is F.34 of 2009 — Statement for the Information of Voters and Polling Information Cards for the forthcoming Referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon. Circular No. 3 is WSP 6/09 — Publication of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Results. Circular No. 4 is Water Services Circulars 06/2009 and 07/2009. Circular No. 5 is S3/2009 — Pensions Ombudsman: Returns of Internal Resolution of Disputes. Circular No. 6 is LG (P) 12/09 — Release of Funds under National Disability Strategy 2009. Circular No. 7 is——

Deputy James Bannon

There is a serious funding problem within local authorities. At one time the health boards made major contributions and provided great assistance for elderly people. The funds available for adapting houses for people with disabilities have been exhausted. This is an issue of great concern and needs to be addressed soon. The power to pay grants was transferred from the health boards to local authorities but no additional funds were provided.

Vice Chairman

We could include that matter in our work programme. It is a problem for every local authority.

Deputy Johnny Brady

There is no doubt about that. My local authority is only now beginning to assess the new application forms. There was a delay in preparing them for public representatives. The council has appointed its own OT who is assessing applicants over the telephone. That is not good enough. They should go out and meet the people concerned to assess their situation. I know of someone whose application to have a bath converted to a shower was turned down last week because the OT telephoned to ask if the person concerned was able to walk and they said yes, but they are only able to do so with a frame or two sticks. That is crazy.

Vice Chairman

That was due to a lack of finance.

Deputy Ciarán Lynch

Members of the committee might recall that this issue arose this time last year when the disabled person's grants scheme and the housing aid for the elderly scheme were merged. We invited officials from the Department to meet the committee last September or October, following which additional funding was made available to the local authorities. I suggest we take a similar approach this year and invite the Department to update us on the allocations made to the local authorities. I am getting feedback from them to the effect that once again their funds will be exhausted before autumn and that they are dealing only with priority 1 cases. The result will be that only those at the extreme end of the list will receive assistance.

Senator Ivor Callely

This is a very important scheme, but it is somewhat complex. When I was Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, I tried to streamline the process because it was very cumbersome. The OTs and others involved in processing applications were unnecessary and we removed them from the system. We tried a model that worked. We should not lose sight of the fact that, regardless of the amount of money involved, we are giving older people or those with a disability the opportunity to reside in their own homes, to which I presume everybody would sign up. Denying the fund denies them this opportunity. Never mind the complexities of the application process and those involved in the assessment procedure, some of whom are not necessary, we should not lose sight of this goal and the fact that with relatively small sums of money we can do a great deal to help a person with a disability or an older person to remain at home.

Vice Chairman

Deputies Bannon and Lynch were talking about the lack of money. Is it agreed that we invite officials from the Department to try to sort out this matter?

Senator Ivor Callely

That is part of my point. The problem is not necessarily a lack of money but the manner in which some of the money is used in unwarranted exercises to process applications. If the committee is to consider this issue, it should do so more broadly than in terms of the capital sums available. It is a question of how the money is used.

Vice Chairman

I know for certain that I have received several letters, as have others, stating the local authority cannot proceed with the work due to a lack of funds. I have it in writing.

Deputy Ciarán Lynch

We should examine the matter in terms of outcomes achieved. Following our meeting with the officials last year, an additional €10 million was put into the fund. That was a direct outcome of bringing the officials before this committee last year and I suggest we do the same again this year.

Vice Chairman

Is it agreed that we invite the officials to come before the committee? Agreed.

Deputy Johnny Brady

If we are inviting them before the committee, we should be able to ask them all the necessary questions, not just those relating to the money aspect.

Vice Chairman

Yes. We will give members every chance to do that.

Deputy Johnny Brady

When this money was being distributed by the Health Service Executive, quick jobs such as changing a bath to a shower could be done rapidly but under this new system that involves a big rigmarole, which is crazy.

Vice Chairman

Is it agreed that we invite the officials to come in? Agreed.

No. 8 is PHS 07/2009: Housing Statistics Bulletin, Quarterly Return Financial Activity; No. 9 is HPS 7/2009: Housing Land Availability Survey 2009; and No.10 is LG 15/09 regarding induction courses for newly elected members of local authorities. That concludes correspondence. I invite our visitors to take their seats.

Deputy Ciarán Lynch

Were Nos. 6, 7 and 8 issued with the agenda? Can copies of those three be——

Vice Chairman

The copies are here.

Deputy Ciarán Lynch

I would like a copy of Nos. 6, 7 and 8.

Vice Chairman

Yes.