Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
732. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of adaptation grants processed in Cork in each of the past five years for social housing, in tabular form. [16741/23]
View answer735. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the increase in adaptation grant allocation for social housing given construction inflation by local authority, in tabular form. [16744/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 732 and 735 together.
My Department provides 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. Extensions to provide for ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms can also be supported. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation of applications 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, later this year, 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 in this year. The programme is 90% funded by my Department with a 10% contribution from the local authority.
Details on the allocation and drawdown of funding for each local authority, including Cork for the period 2011-2022 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/
Under the delegated sanction currently in place, the maximum cost of works in each individual case is €75,000. Where the total cost of works to a property is projected to exceed €75,000 and additional funding is sought by the local authority, prior approval from the Department is required. Once a technical review of the local authorities submission has been completed and the criteria of the programme has been met additional funding can be approved which would cover 90% of the costs above the delegated sanction limit.
My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work in this area. Funding allocations under the 2023 Programme will be announced shortly.
