Vol. 511 No. 3
257 Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of applicants who have availed of the essential repairs grant scheme in each local authority area for the past three years; if local authorities are required to make funding available under this scheme to applicants who satisfy the criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24157/99]
Essential repair grants are administered by local authorities in accordance with the Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants) Regulations, 1993, and guidelines issued by my Department. The regulations and the guidelines give certain discretion to the local authorities in relation to the nature of works to be grant aided, the determination as to whether the applicant meets the eligibility criteria, the amount of assistance to be provided, the relative priority of applications, etc. Subject to an overall allocation made by my Department for a number of schemes, including the essential repairs grants scheme, it is a matter for the local authority to determine the overall provision which the authority will make available for the payment of essential repairs grants in any particular year. Under the scheme, authorities may pay grants up to the full approved cost of the repairs and recoup two thirds of their expenditure on such grants, to a current limit of £3,000 in any one case, from my Department.
Information regarding the number of applicants who have availed of the scheme is contained in the annual housing statistics bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library.
