Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004
436 Mr. Connolly asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the allocations to Monaghan and Cavan County Councils for disabled person’s grants in each year since 2000; the final amounts awarded to both local authorities in each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20033/04]
View answer
Separate allocations are not made to local authorities for the payment of disabled person's grants. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the scheme in its area from within the combined allocations notified to them by my Department for this and other schemes. The relevant allocations from 2000 to 2004 for Monaghan and Cavan County Councils are as follows:
|
Year |
Monaghan County Council Allocation |
Cavan County Council Allocation |
|
€ |
€ |
|
|
2000 |
634,869 |
1,015,790 |
|
2001 |
888,817 |
1,472,896 |
|
2002 |
800,000 |
1,800,000 |
|
2003 |
1,322,000 |
3,007,000 |
|
2004 |
1,157,000 |
2,700,000 |
It should be noted that the figures for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 represent the combined allocations for the house purchase and improvement loans and the disabled persons and essential repairs grants schemes. The figures for 2003 represent the combined allocations for the disabled person's grant and essential repairs grant. There were no changes to these allocations during the years in question.
In regard to 2004, capital allocations totalling €65 million for expenditure on the disabled persons and essential repairs grants were notified to local authorities on 20 May last. Authorities were advised to notify my Department if their allocation was either inadequate or surplus to their requirements, in order to facilitate reallocation of funds to obtain optimum effectiveness from the funding available. Cavan County Council has indicated that it will be seeking an increase in the allocation notified to them. The scope for reallocation of funds will be kept under ongoing examination in my Department during the remainder of the year and all requests for additional funding will be considered in this context.
