Vol. 452 No. 5
65 Mr. Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give consideration to broadening the criteria for eligibility for a disabled person's grant for people who are in receipt of a blind pension, particularly those who are living in the countryside who are anxious to obtain aid to assist in the purchase of a dwelling house in the towns and villages where the facilities for their everyday needs and requirements are more readily available. [8340/95]
A new house grant of £3,000 may be paid for the provision of a new dwelling specifically to meet the needs of a disabled or handicapped member of a household notwithstanding non-compliance with certain conditions that normally apply to the payment of a grant. The conditions from which an exception is granted are: the applicant or his-her spouse should not previously have provided a dwelling for their own occupation; and the maximum floor area of the house should not exceed 125 sq. metres.
Under the disabled person's grant scheme, which is administered by local authorities, assistance is provided to adapt, extend, or provide additional facilities in an existing house to render it more suitable to meet the needs of a disabled person. In relation to this assistance, I refer to page 33 of Social Housing — The Way Ahead, a copy of which has been sent to each Deputy.
I have no proposals for any broadening of these schemes.
