Written Answers Nos. 130 - 149
130. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection the actions being devised to protect long-term and older carers in relation to their pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34032/13]
View answerThere are a number of support systems in place for long term and older carers in relation to State Pension. Persons in receipt of carer’s benefit from my Department may be entitled to credited contributions or ‘credits’. Credits are intended to protect the entitlements, particularly to pension rights of employees participating in the social insurance when they are ill or unemployed. A person who is providing full time care and attention as a carer is awarded credits on the same basis as if they were out of the workforce due to illness or unemployment.
For those who are not entitled to credits including those in receipt of carers allowance can, if eligible, avail of the homemakers scheme which helps to provide a higher rate of pension for those who meet the qualifying conditions. The homemaker scheme comprises a period of disregard when calculating eligibility for a State Pension, so time taken out for caring duties for those who qualify for the scheme, can be disregarded when assessment is being made for State Pension.
The scheme was introduced in and took effect from 1994, and allows up to 20 years spent caring to be disregarded when a person’s social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. It impacts on women in particular as it assists them to qualify for a State Pension (contributory) by recognising periods spent caring for children or incapacitated persons. The homemaker disregard will not, of itself, qualify a person for a pension. Eligibility for the homemaker’s scheme is conditional on firstly meeting the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension.
When pension is calculated, regard is given to the full rate carer’s allowance and the payment which is more beneficial to the customer is awarded. In addition, for those who qualify, the half rate carers allowance continues to be available for those in receipt of State pension. In addition, further supports continue to be made available to older carers in the form of the household benefits package and the free travel pass. Finally, for those who do not qualify for the State pension, the means tested non-contributory pension will continue to be available to those with an income need.
132. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will issue on a carer's allowance appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34061/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 23 April 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral appeal hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
133. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Social Protection if an appeals officer will be appointed as soon as possible and review the case of a carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; if she will review the situation and provide a timeframe for when the appeal decision will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34064/13]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on 4 December 2012. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. She was notified of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review or appeal on 27 February 2013. Additional medical evidence was received and forwarded to the Department’s medical assessor for consideration. However, this information did not alter the opinion of the medical assessor and the decision remained unchanged. The person in question was informed of this on 8 June 2013. Subsequently the person concerned appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and submitted further medical evidence in support of the appeal. This additional evidence is currently being reviewed and the application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.
134. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Social Protection when an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath against the refusal of an invalidity pension claim will be determined and if same will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34098/13]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
135. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding carer's allowance in respect of a person (details supplied). [34101/13]
View answerI confirm that the department received an application for Carer’s Benefit from the person in question on 6 June 2013. This application has been processed by a Deciding Officer and the person concerned has been awarded Carer’s Benefit for the period requested on the Application. Notification of this decision was issued to the person in question on 10 July 2013.
136. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of defined benefit pension schemes which failed to submit proposals to meet the required funding standard by 30 June deadline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34131/13]
View answerOver 900 defined benefit (DB) schemes are subject to the Funding Standard. The process requires trustees to arrange for an actuary to carry out a valuation of the DB pension scheme’s liabilities and assets at regular intervals and submit an actuarial valuation certificate to the Pensions Board outlining the funding position of the scheme. The date of each scheme valuation must be not later than 3 years after the last date of the previous valuation for that scheme.
If the actuary certifies that the scheme has insufficient assets to satisfy the Funding Standard, the schemes trustees must ensure that a funding proposal is forwarded to The Pensions Board with the actuarial funding certificate. The funding proposal must outline measures which ensure that the scheme could reasonably be expected to satisfy the Funding Standard by 2023 (in line with changes made in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2012). Following approval of the funding proposals, schemes report to the Pensions Board on their compliance with the funding proposal on an annual basis.
The suspension of the Funding Standard in 2008 meant that trustees were not required to submit funding proposals, however some schemes continued to comply during this time. Therefore, not all schemes had to submit funding proposals by the 30th June deadline, depending on the last date of valuation, and some schemes may already have funding proposals in place and approved by the Pensions Board to deal with their deficits. With the reinstatement of the Funding Standard, approximately 300 schemes were due to send in funding proposals by the 30th June 2013. 212 of these schemes did not submit funding proposals.
The Pensions Board has, by now, formally written to the schemes that have not submitted funding proposals to ascertain their particular circumstances. The Board will decide what steps to take scheme by scheme on a measured basis and taking account of the individual scheme circumstances.
The reason for the delay in trustees responding will become clearer as the Pensions Board engages with schemes individually. The Funding Standard had been suspended since 2008 with the date extended on a number of occasions, and trustees need to adjust to the fact that the regulatory structure has been reinstated. A number of schemes have already confirmed to the Board that submission of their funding standard is imminent. There also appeared to be an unfounded expectation that the date would be extended again and this contributed to the number that missed the deadline.
Following receipt of proposals, it will be possible to get a more accurate indication of the level of under-funding in DB pension schemes. It will also allow for the impact of the many measures already introduced to assist DB schemes to be assessed, including the potential benefits to schemes of the use of sovereign annuities/bonds. Trustees must meet their legal obligations, and ultimately the Pensions Board will use its regulatory powers where benefit underfunding is not properly addressed.
137. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 97 of 13 June 2013, wherein it stated that the person had engaged in an apprenticeship whilst claiming jobseeker's allowance as a means of attributing an overpayment to them, if her Department is aware of the fact that they received no payment for any training/apprenticeship in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34155/13]
View answerIn addition to a number of other qualifying criteria, a person must be available for full-time employment in order to be eligible for a jobseeker’s payment. The person concerned was disallowed for jobseeker’s allowance as he did not fulfil this qualifying condition while engaged in an apprenticeship. An overpayment against the person concerned was assessed for the period in question on this basis.
138. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the basis on which two medical officers decided that a person (details supplied) in County Kildare was deemed not incapable of work in view of the extent of their medical treatment and dependence on medication and frequent visits to doctors and consultants; if a person in receipt of such continued treatment is likely to be found acceptable to an employer on health and safety grounds; if in such circumstances their case will be urgently reviewed notwithstanding their current appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34156/13]
View answerThe Medical Review and Assessment system is the principal control mechanism for illness and disability schemes administered by the Department of Social Protection. All medical assessments are carried out by the Department’s Medical Assessors who present their medical opinions for the guidance of the Deciding Officers in the scheme areas. Medical Assessors conduct in person assessments in order to provide a second medical opinion for the guidance of Deciding and Appeals Officers. All assessments are carried out in accordance with the accepted guidelines of the Irish Medical Council.
The person named attended for a medical assessment by one of the Department’s Medical Assessors on 18 April 2013. All medical evidence submitted from his medical practitioner was taken into consideration by the Medical Assessor as part of this in person assessment. In this case, the person named was found to be Capable of Work. The customer appealed the decision and following this a second medical assessment was arranged and carried out by a different Medical Assessor on 14 June 2013, as part of the Appeals Process. All medical evidence available to both Medical Assessors was reviewed.
The medical opinion expressed was that the person named was capable of sedentary type work. The implication of this medical opinion will be work in the light/moderate categories such as: office work, sales, driving, security, phone work etc. The case is now with the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office who contacted the customer on 20 June 2013 seeking his up to date grounds of appeal. The appeal is still ongoing.
139. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review entitlement to deserted wife's benefit in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34158/13]
View answerThe position remains the same as detailed in my previous responses to the Deputy’s Parliamentary Questions No. 52068/12 on 22nd November, 2012, 54962/12 on 6th December 2012, 4326/13 on 29th January 2013 and 10153/13 on 26th February 2013 regarding this matter. The customer was asked to submit documentation to support her continued entitlement. As of today no further documentation has been received from her. As previously advised unless the requested documentation is submitted my Department is not in a position to consider this matter any further.
140. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to the threat posed to native and other species by the plant known as Japanese knotweed, Fallopia Japonica; if he is concerned that hedge cutting by local authorities and individual landowners is spreading this invasive species; his plans to amend the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000 in an effort to tackle this problem; if he will direct all local authorities to put in place codes of practice to deal with this issue before it becomes an even more expensive problem here as happened in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34043/13]
View answerJapanese knotweed was first introduced to Ireland over 100 years ago. It forms dense thickets along roadsides, waste-grounds and waterways, reproduces by vegetative means and is difficult to kill off once it becomes established. This plant is included among the list of the 100 most invasive alien species of the world. The National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department has been working with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency to fund and manage the Invasive Species Ireland Project since 2006. This initiative provides advice and guidance on the management of a range of invasive species, including the species referred to, which can negatively impact on the environment and on property on the island of Ireland.
Best Practice Management Guidelines for the species in question have been published and can be accessed on the project website at www.invasivespeciesireland.com. These guidelines provide practical advice to persons and organisations, including local authorities, on the removal and disposal of Japanese Knotweed. When dealing with Japanese Knotweed, it is critical to ensure that any viable rhizomes, the main means by which the plant spreads, are not given the chance to escape into the wider environment. I should also point out that the National Roads Authority have produced Guidelines, which can assist local authorities, on “The Management of Noxious Weeds and Non-Native Invasive Plant Species on National Roads” which includes a section on the treatment of Japanese Knotweed.
The European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 includes provisions in relation to controlling the possession and dispersal of ecologically harmful and invasive species of animals and plants, including Japanese Knotweed. Regulation 50 of the Regulations, which includes provisions relating to the banning for sale of invasive species listed in the Schedule to the Regulations, is not yet in effect. It is necessary for my Department to carry out risk assessments on those invasive species which are subject to trade before I can bring this element of the Regulations into force.
141. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to reintroduce a grant scheme for the restoration of listed buildings throughout the country; the options that are available to those who own listed buildings and who cannot afford to restore same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33983/13]
View answerPart IV of the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended, provides for the protection of architectural heritage. The Act gives primary responsibility to planning authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage by including them on the Record of Protected Structures. Inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives planning authorities powers to deal with development proposals affecting them and to seek to safeguard their future. Recognising this duty of care placed on owners of protected structures, a number of State financial supports provide for the conservation and restoration of heritage structures in both private and public ownership. As the Deputy can appreciate however, the scope for funding for the conservation of the built heritage is currently constrained by the significant reduction in the public finances.
I recently announced grant funding to thirty-four local authorities under the Department’s Structures at Risk Fund 2013 to enable conservation works to forty-five heritage structures in both private and public ownership deemed to be at significant risk of deterioration and which are protected under the Planning and Development Acts 2000, as amended. The Structures at Risk Fund is set up to assist with urgent works to safeguard such structures, in private and civic ownership, and in certain cases works to structures within Architectural Conservation Areas. Typical works funded under the fund include roof repairs, structural consolidation and measures to halt water ingress. This scheme, which is administered by the local authorities, has been in operation since 2011 and has encouraged regeneration and reuse of heritage properties and helped to secure the preservation of protected structures which may otherwise have been lost. Since 2011 over 70 structures have been funded under this scheme. Funding for this scheme is fully allocated for 2013. However, subject to on-going budgetary constraints, I hope to fund this scheme again in 2014.
I understand that the Heritage Council, which my Department funds, also administers a number of heritage grants schemes. It is a matter for the Heritage Council to allocate its funding appropriately given competing priorities within the heritage sector. In addition, I understand that in certain circumstances some local authorities may offer funding. As with the Heritage Council, it is a matter for the local authorities in question to allocate their funding appropriately. Many local authorities employ Architectural Conservation Officers, who can offer specific advice to owners of protected structures. It should also be noted that certain conservation projects may be eligible for funding under the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme Ireland 2007-2013 which supports the conservation and upgrading of rural heritage.
142. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will consider an application from Longford County Council to share all reasonable acquisition costs regarding the purchase of the Moat Granard national monument; if he will ensure that the Office of Public Works uses it statutory powers to safeguard this important national monument, which is a local tourist attraction, and ensure it comes into public ownership; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34063/13]
View answerGranard motte and bailey is a national monument in the guardianship of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht under the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004. As such, it enjoys the full range of protections afforded by those Acts, including a requirement that any works at, or in proximity to it, are subject to my prior written consent. The scope for acquiring ownership of such monuments is extremely limited in the prevailing budgetary circumstances. My Department is, however, examining this case with a view to determining, in consultation with the Office of Public Works and Longford County Council, the best available options for securing the long-term preservation and presentation of the monument.
143. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding whether written correspondence, as the only form of complaints procedure between an individual and an Irish registered company mainly based in Ireland but operating across member states may only return complaints in English as opposed to Irish, the language the complaint was initially made in; if his attention has been drawn to other member states' position regarding same, such as in Spain, where large firms operating in member states must communicate back in Spanish, the national language, if written to in Spanish, as required by law; if he intends to look at implementing similar measures in Ireland for the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34073/13]
View answerSection 9(2) of the Official Languages Act 2003 provides that public bodies have a duty to reply to communications, in writing or by electronic mail, in the official language in which the communication was received, namely Irish or English. The Deputy will understand that this provision applies only to public bodies listed in the First Schedule of the Act. The question of how other public bodies and Irish registered companies, outside the scope of the Act, deal with written communications from the public is a matter for the bodies and companies concerned. I can inform the Deputy, however, that the method of listing public bodies under the Official Languages Act is being examined in the context of amending legislation which I propose to bring forward, arising from the review of the Act. In relation to institutions of the European Union, Article 41(4) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union provides that every person may write to the institutions of the European Union in one of the languages of the Treaties and must receive an answer in the same language.
144. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with regard to the proposed demolition of Nos. 20-22 Vicar Street, Kilkenny under the Kilkenny central access road scheme, which form part of the medieval complex of St. Canice's Cathedral, the specific heritage obligations that are necessary in respect of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34093/13]
View answerAn Bórd Pleanála approved this roads scheme in December 2011 under section 51 of the Roads Act 1993. Following an application by Kilkenny County Council, and in consultation with the Director of the National Museum of Ireland, I issued directions to the Council on 5 June 2012 under section 14A of the National Monuments Acts 1930 (as amended) for the carrying out of works of an archaeological nature relating to the scheme. As required by my directions, a detailed architectural survey of Nos. 20-22 Vicar Street has been undertaken which has revealed no upstanding medieval fabric within the structures. The directions also require demolition works at Nos. 20-22 Vicar Street to be carried out under archaeological supervision followed by archaeological test excavations at the site. The results of the test excavations will inform any further archaeological investigations that may be needed prior to the commencement of the construction of the scheme.
145. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the proposals, if any, there are to upgrade broadband connectivity in an area (details supplied) where a number of small businesses need better telecommunications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34078/13]
View answerIreland’s telecommunications market has been fully liberalised since 1999 in accordance with the requirements of binding EU Directives. The market has since developed into a well-regulated market, supporting a multiplicity of commercial operators, providing services over a diverse range of technology platforms. Details of broadband services available in each county, including County Cavan, can be found on ComReg’s website at www.callcosts.ie.
The State can only intervene to ensure access to broadband services in areas where the competitive market has failed to deliver such services, as in the case of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS) and the Rural Broadband Scheme. Broadband services under the NBS are available since October 2010 from the NBS service provider, “3”, to persons with a fixed residence or fixed business in all of the designated NBS Electoral Divisions. In County Cavan, the NBS covers 45 of its 93 EDs, including the EDs of Canningstown, Cootehill Rural and Corraneary. Details of the NBS EDs within the County are shown in the table. The combination of private investment and State interventions means that Ireland has met the EU Commission’s Digital Agenda for Europe target of having a basic broadband service available to all areas by 2013.
With basic broadband services widely available across Ireland, the focus is now on accelerating the roll out of high speed services. The Government’s National Broadband Plan, which I published in August last, aims to radically change the broadband landscape in Ireland by ensuring that high speed services of 30Mbps are available to all of our citizens and businesses in advance of the EU’s target date of 2020, and that significantly higher speeds are available to as many homes and businesses as possible. During the preparation of Ireland’s National Broadband Plan, the commercial market operators indicated that they expect to provide 70Mbps to 100Mbps services to 50% of the population by 2015. Since the publication of the Plan, investments by the commercial sector are underway in both fixed line and mobile high speed broadband services, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas.
In tandem with these commercial developments, intensive work is underway in my Department to progress a State-led investment to secure the countrywide introduction of next generation broadband access. In order to progress the State-led investment, a full procurement process must be designed and EU State Aids approval must be obtained. My officials have just commenced a comprehensive mapping exercise of the current and anticipated investment by the commercial sector to identify where the market is expected to succeed and fail in the delivery of high speed broadband services over the coming years.
The results of this mapping exercise will inform the level of Government interaction that may be required and the areas that need to be targeted in the State-led investment so as to deliver on the targets for high speed broadband contained in the National Broadband Plan. Intensive technical, financial and legal preparations including stakeholder engagement will be ongoing throughout 2013 with a view to the launch of a procurement process in 2014. Through the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, we are committed to increasing the availability of next generation speeds significantly, with a view to ensuring that all citizens and businesses can participate fully in a digitally enabled society.
National Broadband Scheme (NBS) - Electoral Divisions (ED) covered by the NBS in County Cavan
|
ED Name |
ED Reference No. |
|
ARDUE |
ED 27001 |
|
BALLYMACHUGH |
ED 27009 |
|
BALLYMAGAURAN |
ED 27010 |
|
BAWNBOY |
ED 27011 |
|
BENBRACK |
ED 27014 |
|
BILBERRY |
ED 27015 |
|
CANNINGSTOWN |
ED 27018 |
|
CARN |
ED 27019 |
|
CARRAFIN |
ED 27021 |
|
CASTLERAHAN |
ED 27022 |
|
CASTLESAUNDERSON |
ED 27023 |
|
COOTEHILL RURAL |
ED 27027 |
|
CORR |
ED 27029 |
|
CORRANEARY |
ED 27030 |
|
CROSSBANE |
ED 27031 |
|
CROSSDONEY |
ED 27032 |
|
DERRYLAHAN |
ED 27037 |
|
DERRYNANANTA |
ED 27038 |
|
DIAMOND |
ED 27039 |
|
DOOGARY |
ED 27040 |
|
DRUMANESPICK |
ED 27042 |
|
DRUMCARN |
ED 27044 |
|
DRUMLUMMAN |
ED 27045 |
|
DUNMAKEEVER |
ED 27047 |
|
KILBRIDE |
ED 27052 |
|
KILCOGY |
ED 27053 |
|
KILGOLAGH |
ED 27055 |
146. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will conduct an inquiry into the granting of planning permissions for wind farms in north Wexford in terms of the appropriateness of the decisions and allegations that some who made the decisions benefited from same; and if he will outline the other remedies open to residents who have concerns. [34084/13]
View answer147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if his attention has been drawn to any concerns regarding the operation of wind farms in County Wexford; and the action he will take in relation to same. [34085/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 147 together.
The development and operation of a wind farm in Ireland requires planning permission from the relevant planning authority. It also requires an Authorisation to Construct or Reconstruct a Generating Station and a Licence to Generate from the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). The issue of planning permission is a matter between the developer of a wind farm and the relevant planning authority, subject to the Planning Acts, which include requirements for public consultation. Applications for Authorisations to Construct or Reconstruct a Generating Station and Licences to Generate are assessed by the CER ahead of the granting or refusing of an application for planning permission. The conditions imposed in the Authorisation and the Licence must be met by the generator and compliance is monitored by the CER on an ongoing basis. I do not have a role with regard to the permitting or monitoring of individual wind farms.
148. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he and his Department intend to review the Petroleum and Other Minerals Act 1960; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34088/13]
View answerThe Petroleum and Other Minerals Development Act 1960 is the principal statute underpinning Ireland’s mineral, oil and gas exploration licensing regimes. Since it was enacted, a broad body of legislation at national and European Union level that is directly relevant to oil and gas exploration and production activities, including planning, safety and environmental legislation, has been passed. Against that background, my Department is currently engaged in a review of the oil and gas exploration aspects of the Act. Insofar as those sections of the Act which refer to non-petroleum minerals are concerned, these will be addressed in the proposed new Minerals Development Bill, which will modernise and consolidate the existing Minerals Development Acts 1940 to 1999.
149. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to the cuts in the housing adaptation grant from €79 million in 2011 to €35 million in 2013, the way this scheme can better meet the needs of older persons, persons with disabilities and their carers; the measures that will be taken to ensure needs are still taken care of and no one is negatively affected by these cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33973/13]
View answerOn 22 February 2013 I announced capital allocations to local authorities under the suite of Grants for Older People and People with a Disability amounting to €42.750 million. This year I allocated local authorities the full amount of their contractual commitments and the balance of the available funding was allocated on the basis of each authority’s share of the new applications on hand in January 2013.
A small capital reserve was set aside to deal with any acute or particular difficulty which might arise in the operation of the schemes over the course of the year. Following requests from 13 local authorities for supplementary funding, I subsequently approved additional allocations totalling €1.2 million. I am keeping the funding position on these schemes under active review. My Department is currently reviewing the operation of the grant schemes in consultation with the local authorities and groups representing older people and people with disabilities with the objective of targeting those in most need and ensuring that the maximum numbers of households can benefit. I intend to announce revised terms and conditions for the grant schemes later this year.
