Vol. 504 No. 4
213 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will relax the regulations in relation to essential repair grants for elderly people in urban and rural areas to the extent that some assistance will be rendered in these cases where relatively minor but important repairs must be carried out without the requirement of the person being eligible for a local authority house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12094/99]
The essential repairs grants scheme is very specifically targeted at meeting the needs of elderly people living in unfit housing who would otherwise require to be rehoused by the local authority away from their neighbours and friends. The scheme enables basic repairs to be carried out to houses which cannot be made fit in all respects at a reasonable cost so that they can continue to provide an acceptable standard of accommodation for the occupants. The task force on special housing aid for the elderly also assists with the improvement of the housing conditions of elderly persons living on their own and its funding has been increased to £6 million in 1999, the highest level ever. It is not a condition for assistance under the task force that the applicant be eligible for or seeking local authority housing.
