Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 March 2012
119 Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide 100% funding to local authorities in respect of housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability due to the decline in the level of local authority internal capital receipts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14375/12]
View answerThe grant schemes are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed to each of the various grant measures, and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within their allocation.
My Department is aware that these schemes are heavily subscribed at present. My Department is also aware of the financial constraints on local authority own resources funding at this time and in order to relieve the pressure on revenue funding has allowed local authorities to use Internal Capital Receipts to make up their contribution to the grants schemes.
Exchequer allocations totalling over €54 million were notified to local authorities under the grant schemes on 28 February 2012. Eliminating the local authority own resources contribution would reduce the overall level of funding available to households requiring grant assistance to undertake necessary adaptations or improvement works by about €13.5 million. I have no proposals to reduce or eliminate the local authority contribution at this time. I will, however, bear this in mind in any review of the grant schemes for 2013.
