Written Answers Nos. 215-234
215. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the steps her Department will take to ensure that a child (details supplied) in County Cork who is due to sit the junior certificate in June 2018 has a school place for the remainder of the school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18477/18]
View answerTusla Educational Welfare Services has advised that it has not received a referral from St. Peter’s Community School, Passage West, Co. Cork in relation to the child’s absence from school. However, the local Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) has spoken to the child’s mother by phone on a number of occasions in an advisory capacity. The young person is a 3rd year student in the school. Her mother advises she is refusing to attend school due to bullying.
Tusla also advised that the EWO also spoke to the school principal of St. Peter’s Community School who advised that the child concerned still has a place in the school and the bullying situation had been addressed. He also advised that the child is welcome back to the school and that special arrangements could be put in place in order for her to sit the Junior Certificate there. The EWO also advised the child’s mother that it would be very difficult to secure an alternative school place so late in the academic year and close to the start of the Junior Certificate exams. The Principal said he would contact the child’s mother to invite her into the school in an attempt to resolve the issue and the EWO advised the child’s mother of this.
The EWO also proposed that she could assist the child’s mother to secure a place on a Youthreach Programme and that the child could attend there for the last few weeks of the academic year and sit the Junior Cert there, with a view to applying for a mainstream school place for September.
216. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the most advantageous procedure to follow in respect of old age pension applications by persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18362/18]
View answerThe person concerned is in receipt of a reduced rate of state pension (contributory) of €238.50 which is their correct entitlement based on the contribution record held by my Department. This weekly entitlement is greater than the highest rate of entitlement payable on state pension (non - contributory) and therefore the most financially beneficial to the person concerned.
The person concerned is also in receipt of a means tested increase for qualified adult payment, payable at maximum rate, in respect of their spouse who is aged over 66. My Department is currently reviewing the person’s continuing entitlement to this means tested increase. A questionnaire regarding the means of the person’s spouse was issued on 5 March 2018. No response was received, despite a reminder being issued on 4 April 2018. On return of the completed questionnaire, the entitlement of the person concerned to a continuing increase for qualified adult will be reviewed and they will be notified in writing of the outcome without delay. Failure to return the requested information will result in loss of payment, so it is important that the person concerned now gives this matter their urgent attention.
If the qualified adult has had insurable employment in Ireland, they can, at any point, submit an application for state pension (contributory) and have their entitlement to contributory pension examined. Equally if they do not have a social insurance contribution record or have insufficient contributions, they are entitled, at any point, to make a claim for a means tested state pension (non-contributory) and their entitlement will be examined. If they apply for either or both pension options, they will receive the pension option which is to their financial advantage.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
217. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the actions she will take to address the fall in benefits to lone parents (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18381/18]
View answerMy Department provides a number of income supports to lone parents once their entitlement to the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) ceases. These include the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) payment where the youngest child is aged 7-13 years and the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment which may be paid to lone parents where the youngest child is aged 14 or over. The Family Income Supplement, recently re-designated as a Working Family Payment (WFP), is also available to lone parents who are working 19 or more hours per week. Lone parents who move to WFP can also apply for the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD).
In Budget 2018, I continued to improve the situation for lone parents through an increase to the income disregard on the OFP and the JST payments from €110 a week to €130 a week; an increase of €5 to the primary rate; and a €2 increase in the Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) rate. These positive measures will see a lone parent on OFP or JST, who is working 15 hours a week on the National Minimum Wage, better off by nearly €1,000 per year. These Budget measures took effect from 29 March 2018.
My Department’s social impact assessments of Budgets 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 show a cumulative increase of €36.75 in the average weekly household income of employed lone parents. This compares favourably with a weekly increase of €34.45 for the average household, demonstrating the improvements made.
I intend to continue to prioritise supports for lone parents, particularly those which incentivise work over welfare. However, any changes to the existing supports for lone parents will need to be considered as part of Budget 2019 discussions.
218. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to address the anomaly whereby lone parents in receipt of BTEA are deemed ineligible to receive the SUSI maintenance grant in view of the fact that this serves as just one of many barriers which lone parents face in accessing education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18387/18]
View answerThe Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA), operated by my Department, is designed to support second-chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions.
The BTEA is not intended to be an alternative form of funding for people entering or re-entering the third-level education system. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Grant, payable by the Department of Education and Skills, is Ireland’s single national awarding authority for all higher and further education grants.
The Deputy should note that applicants approved for BTEA are not eligible for a maintenance grant from SUSI. The type of funding that BTEA recipients may be eligible from SUSI for will depend on the course that they are studying. The eligibility rules that govern the payment of a student maintenance grant are a matter for the Department of Education and Skills.
From the 2017/2018 academic year this Department reintroduced the annual Cost of Education Grant payable to BTEA participants with a child on their BTEA payment. This payment has been introduced to assist with the costs of returning to education.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
219. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if child benefit payments will be extended to include all children in full-time education up to 22 years of age in line with the increase for qualified children paid on social welfare payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18391/18]
View answerChild Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to almost 628,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of more than €2 billion in 2018.
Given the universality of Child Benefit, extending entitlement to parents to include all children in full time education up to 22 years of age in line with the increase for qualified children paid on social welfare payments would not be a targeted approach. The adoption of such a proposal would have significant cost implications and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
Families on low incomes can avail of a number of social welfare schemes that support children in full-time education until the age of 22, including:
- Increase for a Qualified Child (IQCs) with primary social welfare payments;
- the Working Family Payment (formerly Family Income Supplement) for low-paid employees with children;
- the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for low income families (paid at the full-time second-level education rate).
As part of the measures under Budget 2018, the qualified child payment which is paid each week to families with children was increased from €29.80 to €31.80 for each child. This is an increase of 6.7%, and will benefit over 400,000 children. The Working Family Payment earnings thresholds were also increased by €10 per week for families with up to three children. This will particularly benefit low-income working families. These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with older children participating in full-time education.
For parents who have children in third level education, the student grant scheme, SUSI, is the main financial support for students. There is detailed information on the range of grants and funds for students in further and higher education on the website www.studentfinance.ie, including the Student Assistance Fund.
I currently have no plans to extend entitlement to Child Benefit to include all children in full time education up to 22 years of age and any changes to entitlements would need to be considered as part of Budget 2019 discussions.
220. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when arrears owed to a person (details supplied) will issue in view of the fact that full payment has been submitted to her Department by the person in respect of a debt outstanding; if a full weekly payment will be reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18450/18]
View answerA cheque was received as repayment towards an outstanding debt from a representative of the person concerned and was lodged to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) debt recovery system on 24 April 2018. A receipt issued to the person concerned informing them a refund of €104.40 was due as they had exceeded the amount owed by this amount. An EFT Payment Authorisation Form was enclosed in order to refund the amount due and when this form is received, payment will issue to the person concerned without delay.
The person concerned will receive their full weekly DEASP claim entitlement from 27 April 2018.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
221. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to remove the anomalies in the method of calculation of entitlements to the State pension, contributory, with particular reference to the need to reverse the changes that were introduced in 2012; when the necessary legislative measures will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18476/18]
View answerA policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by the then Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010, as was the decision to base the entitlements of all new pensioners on this approach from 2020.
On the 23rd January earlier this year, the Government agreed to allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated under a total contributions approach which will include up to 20 years of a new HomeCaring credit.
The TCA will ensure that the totality of a person’s social insurance contributions - as opposed to the timing of them - determines their final pension outcome. In particular it will benefit people whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, while raising families or in a full-time caring role. Crucially, unlike the proposed Homemaking Credits which was proposed in 2010 as part of the National Pensions Framework, the HomeCaring Credit will apply to periods both before and after 1994, as for most people reaching pension age between 2012 and 2019, such periods, where they had them, occurred before 1994, and provisions restricted to periods after then are of little or no benefit to them.
This approach will make it easier for many post-2012 pensioners affected by the 2012 rate band changes who are currently assessed under the yearly average model, to qualify for a higher rate of the State Pension (contributory). A person who reached pension age after 1st September 2012 and has a 40 year record of paid and credited social insurance contributions, subject to a maximum of 20 years of the new HomeCaring credits, will qualify for a maximum contributory pension where they satisfy the other qualifying conditions for the scheme. Up to 10 years of other credits, for example, awarded when on Jobseekers or Illness Benefit, may also be used, subject to the total credits not exceeding 20 years.
So, for example, a person might receive a maximum pension based on 20 years paid PRSI contributions, 5 years jobseeker credits, and 15 years HomeCaring Credits (before or after 1994), over a 50 year period and qualify for a maximum rate pension, despite additional gaps of up to 10 years. Those with fewer contributions will have a pro-rata entitlement. For example, someone with 18 years PRSI contributions and 18 years homecaring may qualify for a 90% contributory pension.
Legislation has to be drafted and enacted to enable implementation of these interim arrangements and IT solutions must be developed. Accordingly, it is planned that the reviews will commence in Q4 of this year, with the first payments being made in Q1 2019.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
222. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an exceptional needs payment can now be made to cater for the shortfall arising from the previous cessation of their payment in view of the imminent eviction in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18491/18]
View answerRent supplement for the person concerned has issued up to date and no arrears are due. The person concerned missed a rent payment in June 2017 as their primary payment was suspended. However, the person concerned subsequently received two months payments in July.
To date no new ENP application has been received by the Department in relation to rent arrears/insufficient funds.
If the person concerned is experiencing financial hardship it is open to them to contact the Community Welfare Service in Naas at 087 2950536 to make an application for an ENP.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
223. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a disability allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18517/18]
View answerI am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 15 February 2018 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. It is expected that a decision will issue to the person concerned within the next week.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
224. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the date of the requirement to have 50% of slurry spread will be extended in view of the fact that the cutting of silage will be significantly later due to the late spring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18375/18]
View answerThe European Union (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2017, as amended, give legal effect in Ireland to the Nitrates Directive and to our Nitrates Action Programme (NAP). The Regulations focus, inter alia, on the management of livestock manures and other fertilisers.
In accordance with the requirements of these regulations, half of all slurry produced on a derogation farm must be applied by 15 June each year. After this date slurry may only be applied using low emission equipment.
Farmers are increasingly utilising their manures to greatest effect by applying a greater percentage in the Spring. The requirement referred to above encourages this trend. It also takes account of the fact that agriculture is responsible for 98% of ammonia emissions in Ireland and that the nitrogen loss to the atmosphere from slurry as a result of ammonia volatilisation is almost twice as high in the Summer as when slurry is applied in the Spring.
Slurry application by Low Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS) equipment reduces losses by 30% compared to application by splash-plate and the reduced ammonia losses result in increased nitrogen uptake by grass. These measures play an important role in improving efficiency and reducing nutrient losses to air and water on the more intensively stocked derogation farms.
I have no plans to vary the 15 June date.
225. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he is satisfied that there is no risk to the groundwater, groundwater dependent habitats and the vulnerable regionally important aquifer situated under counties Laois and Kilkenny by the reinforcement project substation in County Laois in view of the fact that operational risks did not form part of the environmental assessment of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18418/18]
View answer226. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the steps he will take to address a serious risk to the highly vulnerable aquifer posed by a company's reinforcement substation project in counties Laois and Kilkenny particularly in view of the pollution incident which occurred in March 2018 in which kerosene entered the Fethard water supply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18451/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together.
I refer to the reply to Questions No 1487 and 1488 of 17 April 2018. The position is unchanged.
227. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if an increase in rent allowance will be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18516/18]
View answerHousing Assistance Payment (HAP) will replace Rent Supplement (RS) for those with a long term housing need, who qualify for social housing support. However, RS will remain available through the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) to households as a short-term income support. The strategic aim is to complete the transfers from long term rent supplement to HAP by 2020, as outlined in the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.
In order for a household to qualify for HAP, the household must first be assessed as eligible for social housing support by their local authority. Any household assessed as eligible for social housing is immediately eligible for the HAP scheme. It is a matter for the local authority to then examine the suite of social housing supports available, including the HAP scheme, to determine the most appropriate form of social housing support for that particular household, in the administrative area of that local authority.
Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment up to 20% above the prescribed maximum rent limit in circumstances where it is necessary, because of local rental market conditions, to secure appropriate accommodation for a household that requires it. Greater enhanced support is also statutorily provided for in the Dublin Region for homeless households.
It is a matter for the local authority to determine if the application of the flexibility is warranted on a case by case basis. Local authorities must also be cognisant of the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act when approving increases in HAP payments and advise tenants accordingly.
228. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the timeframe and process for the introduction of new marine protected areas. [18438/18]
View answerMy Department is responsible for national marine environmental policy in Ireland, principally through the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The aim of MSFD is to integrate environmental considerations into all aspects of marine activity to maintain or reach a point of good environmental status (GES) in our seas and oceans and ensure that this status is maintained through sustainable use of our seas. The Directive requires that we assess our marine environment, develop GES targets and indicators, monitor our environment in light of these, and, where necessary, introduce a programme of measures, including spatial protection measures, to address issues affecting GES being achieved.
Article 13 of the MSFD requires that a coherent and representative network of spatial protection measures including marine protected areas be put in place, where appropriate, in order to achieve or maintain the good environmental status of our national and shared maritime area.
The Government is committed to the development of primary legislation to provide for the creation of a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in accordance with the requirements of the MSFD. Consideration is currently being given to the appropriate legislative approach in this regard.
While our network of MPAs will incorporate existing Special Protection Areas and Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the Birds or Habitats Directives and any MPAs established under Article 11 of the Common Fisheries Programme (CFP) , it may also require new types of protected areas where all or some human activities may be restricted or limited all or some of the time. MSFD provides the primary context by which the form and location of MPAs should be determined. The purpose of any area designated should be to ensure that we are able to reach our GES targets under the Directive. However, as MSFD is concerned with sustainable use of our marine environment, social and cultural factors will also be a consideration.
It is my intention to establish in the coming months an expert advisory group to advise me in relation to the identification of candidate marine protected areas.
229. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the definition and meaning of unfinished developments in regard to the reference to this in the recent progress report on actions to address unfinished housing developments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18335/18]
View answer230. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if funding is available to address the issue of unfinished housing estates in which the developer is no longer in business and in cases in which all legal channels have been exhausted in view of the fact that local authorities do not have funds to finance these works; his plans to address this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18376/18]
View answer231. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of housing estates in County Tipperary in which all planning requirements were not completed by the developer thereby resulting in the local authority not being able to take them in charge; the number of housing units affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18377/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 229 to 231, inclusive, together.
My Department recently published the 2017 Annual Progress Report on Unfinished Housing Developments, which are regarded as developments not substantially complete in the context of the scope of works envisaged under the relevant planning permission. The report is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/unfinished_housing_developments_-_2017_annual_progress_report_0.pdf.
As outlined in that Report, the number of unfinished housing developments has reduced by 91% from around 3,000 developments in 2010 to 256 developments in 2017. In addition, the Report shows that 74% of Local Authority areas now contain less than 10 unfinished developments, with four local authority areas having no occupied unfinished developments.
Funding of the resolution and taking-in-charge process is now firmly centred around investment by housing providers and their funders, as well as income from bonds and securities. In view of the progress made within a predominantly housing provider, funder and local authority enforcement driven resolution process, the relatively small cohort of unfinished developments remaining and the scope for investment to resolve such developments in a recovering housing sector context, I have no current plans to allocate additional public funds in relation to unfinished developments.
The number of developments, and dwellings, deemed as 'unfinished' was recorded as part of the 2017 National Housing Developments Survey and figures at a county level are available at the following link: http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/final_national_figures_by_county.xls.
My Department does not hold information on the planning condition compliance situation in respect of all housing developments that may be impeding the taking-in-charge process, that being a matter for the relevant local authority.
However, a 2016 Taking In Charge Survey recorded an initial list of 295 estates that had not yet been taken in charge in Tipperary. Of these 295 estates, 96 were recorded as currently going through the taking-in-charge process. The survey details are available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/initiative_to_accelerate_taking_in_charge_of_residential_estates_-_initial_list_0.pdf.
I expect the number of developments to be taken in charge will reduce over time and I will shortly be publishing updated figures alongside the report on the National Taking in Charge Initiative (NTICI), which will include findings and recommendations from the NTICI process.
232. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on whether the Gorey area in County Wexford should be designated a rent pressure zone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18385/18]
View answerSection 24A of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2016 provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with housing authorities, may make a proposal to the Minister that an area should be considered as a Rent Pressure Zone. Following receipt of such a proposal, the Minister requests the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to conduct an assessment of the area to establish whether or not it meets the criteria for designation and to report to the Minister on whether the area should be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. For the purpose of the Act, ‘area’ is defined as either the administrative area of a housing authority or a local electoral area within the meaning of section 2 of the Local Government Act 2001. There is no provision for any other type of area to be designated as a Rent Pressure Zone.
For an area to be designated a Rent Pressure Zone, it must satisfy the following criteria set out in section 24A(4) of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 (as inserted by section 36 of the 2016 Act):
(i) The annual rate of rent inflation in the area must have been 7% or more in four of the last six quarters; and
(ii) The average rent for tenancies registered in the area with the RTB in the last quarter must be above the average national rent (the National Standardised Rent in the RTB’s Rent Index Report) in the last quarter (€1,054 per month in Q4 2017).
On 21 March 2018, the RTB published its Rent Index Report in relation to Quarter 4 2017, which includes a summary of the data used as the criteria for designating Rent Pressure Zones in relation to all Local Electoral Areas in the country. This allows all interested parties to see exactly where their area stands in relation to average rent levels and increases and possible designation. The data from the Rent Index Report relating to Gorey are detailed in the following table.
|
Local Electoral Area |
Quarters > 7% |
Average 2017 Q4 (€) |
|
Gorey |
4 |
€793.39 |
In Gorey, the average monthly rent is below the national standardised rent of €1,054 per month and in 4 of the last 6 quarters rent inflation has been 7% or greater. Therefore, the Local Electoral Area of Gorey does not meet the criteria for designation at this time.
The Housing Agency continues to monitor the rental market and may recommend further areas for designation. Where, following the procedures set out in the Act, it is found at a future date that additional areas meet the criteria, they will be designated as Rent Pressure Zones.
233. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the progress being made to establish a redress scheme for properties in counties Donegal and Mayo in which defective block work has been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18419/18]
View answerThe Expert Panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in 2016, to investigate problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo.
The panel had the following terms of reference:
(i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo;
(ii) To carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, testing laboratories, industry stakeholders and other relevant parties, to establish the nature of the problem in the affected dwellings;
(iii) To outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and
(iv) To submit a report within six months.
On 13 June 2017, the report of the Expert Panel was published and included eight recommendations which my Department are actively progressing with the relevant stakeholders.
My Department is prioritising the implementation of Recommendations 1 and 2.
With regard to Recommendation 1, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Technical Committee, established to scope and fast track the development of a standardised protocol, held its inaugural meeting on 11 September 2017 and has held several further meetings since. The standardised protocol will inform the course of action in relation to remedial works for all affected householders. My Department understands from the NSAI that the Technical Committee is in the process of finalising the standardised protocol, which will be available for public consultation shortly.
With regard to Recommendation 2, my Department has been in contact with Engineers Ireland in relation to the establishment of a register of competent engineers for homeowners/affected parties’ reference. Engineers Ireland have provided assurance that they will collaborate with the Department, the NSAI and others on measures to establish such a register once the standardised protocol is in place.
Last year I visited Donegal and Mayo and met with key stakeholders, including affected homeowners, elected members and officials of the local authorities and other interested parties. On 18 December 2017, I again visited Donegal and met with key stakeholders to provide an update on the progress to date. I made a similar visit to Mayo on 26 January 2018.
In addition, and in light of the information contained in the report, I am currently considering what further actions may be required to assist the parties directly involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to the problems that have emerged in the two counties.
234. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if works to replace a central heating boiler in the housing aid for older people scheme will be included in view of the fact that the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland no longer provides grant aid for this work since January 2018 and the current housing aid for older people scheme only grant aids the installation of central heating in circumstances in which no form of heating exists. [18421/18]
View answerThe Housing Aid for Older People Scheme provides grants of up to €8,000 to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out. The grant eligible works include the provision of heating and any repair or improvement works which are considered reasonably necessary.
The detailed administration of these grants, including the assessment, approval and prioritisation of grants to applicants under the various measures, is the responsibility of the local authorities. In this regard local authorities prioritise applications on the basis of the medical needs of the applicant and on the urgency and necessity of the identified works.
