Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 30 Sep 2003

Vol. 571 No. 1

Written Answers. - Local Authority Funding.

John Deasy

Ceist:

1315 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if he will grant additional funding to Waterford County Council to allow them to have works under the disabled persons grant, which have been approved, completed within a reasonable period of time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21278/03]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. N. Ahern)

Local authorities were notified of their allocations for the payment of disabled persons and essential repairs grants on 5 June 2003. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the disabled persons grant scheme in their areas from within the combined allocation provided. The allocation to Waterford County Council was €512,000.

While it is open to a local authority to seek a higher allocation in the event of increased demand, an increased capital allocation would not of itself allow increased expenditure by the authority without a corresponding upward revision of its provision to meet its own one third contribution to expenditure on the scheme.

Authorities were requested to contact my Department if their allocation was either inadequate or surplus to their requirements to facilitate the re-allocation of funds and to obtain optimum effectiveness from the funding available. Applications for additional funding, including one from Waterford County Council, are now being considered in this context and a decision will issue as soon as possible to the authorities concerned.