Responsibility for housing people with severe intellectual or physical disabilities in line with HIQA requirements is a matter for the Department of Health.
However, my Department has published a Design Manual for Quality Housing which is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b3e02-design-manual-for-quality-housing/. The Manual is intended to guide local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), and their consultants, on the design of social housing including the internal layouts of individual social homes. The manual includes guidance on the approach to ‘Housing for People with Disability’ (Section 5.3.2) and specific design approaches developed with the input of the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design (CEUD).
The Manual also recognises that to best meet the needs of people with disabilities, certain design modifications may be required and in that regard, through an occupational therapist’s report where needed, spatial and other required adaptations for a particular household can be set out.
My Department is encouraging all local authorities and AHBs to utilise this Design Manual as the best way to ensure funding support for the wide range of housing situations that can arise.
Under the Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF) scheme, my Department presently provides funding for homes suitable for various sectors of society. AHBs in collaboration with local authorities will agree on the design and specification of each home prior to submitting a funding application to my Department for review and approval, including accommodation for disabled people. Also, under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) funding programme funding of up to 100% of project costs may be advanced by local authorities to AHBs to provide accommodation for priority categories of housing need, including disabled people. Funding for necessary adaption works to meet the needs of the tenant is also available under this funding programme.
