Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 October 2022
195. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of the €25 million that was announced to support adaptation works to 1,800 existing social homes announced in Budget 2023 that is new and additional funding for 2023. [49272/22]
View answerMy Department provides annual funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or overcrowded situations. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation is the responsibility of local authorities.
My Department's approach every year, in the first instance, is to allow local authorities complete works up to 65% of the previous year’s allocation in the absence of formal approval to keep this important work going. Following this, my Department will issue a single full year allocation to each local authority, so they can plan, prioritise and implement the programme to carry out the varying works necessary to meet the needs of their tenants. The programme is 90% funded by the Department with a 10% contribution from the Local Authority. The budget provided each year is additional funding.
In 2021, a significant increase in funding was secured for the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme which incorporates Improvement Works in Lieu. This resulted in a total exchequer allocation of €23.7 million. It gave local authorities an opportunity to be approved for funding on all works that could be completed that year. Again in 2022, exchequer funding to the value of €23.6 million was allocated to these schemes based on the request for funding from the local authority sector.
The allocations for the 2023 Disabled Persons Grant Scheme will be announced early in 2023 upon receipt and review of each local authorities work programme.
The allocation and drawdown of funding for each local authority for the period 2011-2021 for the Disabled Persons Grant, which incorporates Improvement Works in Lieu, is available at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/061cd-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-allocation-and-drawdown/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c472d-disabled-persons-grant-and-improved-works-in-lieu-schemes-allocation-and-drawdown-2011-2020/
