My Department's involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. The grant schemes, introduced in November 2007, 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 determine how the funding is apportioned between the various grant measures and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within the allocation.
On 28 February, my Department notified Sligo County Council of an Exchequer allocation of €798,147 under the grant schemes for 2012. The Council subsequently advised my Department that due to the difficult financial situation within the council at present, the council is not in a position to provide revenue funding of €199,537 to meet the 20% own resources funding requirement under the grant schemes this year. The council also sought approval to administer the grant schemes on the basis of 100% recoupment from my Department, and, in the event that this was not possible, that applicants themselves would fund the 20% shortfall.
The statutory provisions relating to the detailed operation and administration of the grants schemes are set out in the Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability) Regulations, 2007. In the case of each of the grant measures, the Minister may make a contribution to the housing authority which shall not exceed 80% of the approved cost of the works. In accordance with the administrative guidance issued to local authorities in October 2007, authorities are required to provide the remaining 20% from their own resources as provided for in annual estimates of expenditure. Sligo County Council has been advised of the need to comply with these provisions.
