Local authorities operate the housing policy for family and old people's dwellings. Their system involves processing applications on a priority basis and within their resources, they allocate housing. Their resources are never adequate to provide sufficient in-house building. Local authorities also operate the essential repairs scheme, which is limited to emergency repairs. They also operate the disabled person's grant — two-thirds of the cost is met by the Department — which provides for renovations of floors, bedrooms, toilets, showers, etc. This is also limited because it is restricted to those with a level of disability which is assessed by the medical officers for the area. The allocation of housing aid for the elderly is currently around £4 million. I asked about this last year on the Adjournment when the figure had been reduced to £3 million. While I am glad to see it has returned to its 1994 level, it is still not adequate.
This scheme gives good value for money and is in great demand. It is administered by the health boards and FÁS is responsible for the manpower. It has been effective in extending the useful life of houses and in allowing old people to finish their days in their homes. Their work consists mainly of refurbishing, replacing doors and windows, draught proofing, roof and chimney repairs and, in some cases, covers sanitary services. However, the allocation of sanitary services for 35,000 elderly people living in a four county health board area is only £450,000.
The supplementary welfare allowance provides rent and mortgage supplements and the amount paid has increased by leaps and bounds from the late 1980s. In 1995, £60 million was paid in subvention to rents and mortgages and 39,000 householders were in receipt of supplements in any given month. Many of these increases are due to aspects of the social welfare system which provide disincentives for unemployed persons to remain in the family home. Most of them are moving out to avail of the higher allowances and supplements.
While £60 million is being spent providing apartments, mainly by the Eastern Health Board in the Dublin region, there is only an allocation of £4 million to provide adequate sanitary services for elderly people living on their own. Some of their houses still do not have basic sanitary, water and sewerage services. The Minister must either increase housing aid for the elderly to a more realistic level, which would be higher than £4 million, introduce some type of grant to provide them with these sanitary services or provide funding to local authorities to do something about it. The present situation is unacceptable. It is reasonably easy to provide many of those services now that fibre glass septic tanks are available. However, the biggest problem is in providing piped water. Many group water schemes are looking for connection fees of up to £1,500, although some local authorities give this facility free to older people who want it.
The document, A Government of Renewal, stated that all forms of social housing assistance will be administered by the local authority. The claim that the issues involved in transferring the administration of rent mortgage supplements to the local authorities were examined by the Departments of the Environment, Social Welfare, Health and Finance. The review group on the role of supplementary welfare in relation to houses stated that an integrated approach to the assessment of housing needs and the allocation of housing resources should be addressed within a single legislative framework. I take it that this involves local authorities. How are they proceeding with implementing Government policy in this regard?
