Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 January 2021
338. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of funding drawn down for the disabled persons housing grant in County Cork, by municipal district; the amount awarded in each municipal district; and the number of applications received and approved, in tabular form. [44926/20]
View answerMy Department provides funding on an annual basis under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to their existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants. The scheme applies to works that are necessary to address the needs of older people or people with a disability. Under the scheme, my Department provides 90% funding towards the costs of eligible works per property with the remaining 10% being provided by the local authorities.
Details of allocations and funding drawdown by local authority, including Cork County Council, between 2011 and 2020 are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c472d-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-allocation-and-drawdown-2011-2020/
In addition, details of the number of properties supported under this programme by local authority, between 2017 and 2020 are available at the following link:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0d9e5-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-units-funded-by-the-department-2017-2020/
My Department also provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People, which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. Local authorities receive an overall allocation, with the responsibility for the apportionment between the three schemes being a matter for each authority.
Information for the years 2008 - 2019, showing the number of grants funded and the amount provided to all local authorities, including Cork County Council, is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics .
For 2020, Exchequer funding of €3,042,329 was drawn down by Cork County Council, with a further 20% contribution from the local authority facilitating the payment of 491 grants.
For both of these grant programmes, the relevant local authoritity is responsible for the detailed administration of the scheme which includes the assessment, approval and prioritisation of applications accross their administrative area. My Department does not collate information on individual applications or by municipal district. This information may be available directly from Cork County Council.
