Ned O'Keeffe
Ceist:1318 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the provision of funding for a project (details supplied) in County Cork. [21296/03]
Vol. 571 No. 1
1318 Mr. N. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the provision of funding for a project (details supplied) in County Cork. [21296/03]
An application for a grant under the voluntary housing capital assistance scheme in respect of 14 units of accommodation for persons with disabilities was recently received from Cork County Council, who are responsible for the detailed administration of the scheme in their areas. A decision on the application must await the receipt of certain information which has been requested from the Council.
1319 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the extra resources his Department proposes to make available in this coming year in view of the increased demands on local authorities in dealing with structural projects to eliminate anti-social behaviour. [21297/03]
All local authority expenditure, whether in relation to social programmes or otherwise, is funded from a variety of sources including specific State grants, commercial rates, rents, fees and charges for services and from significant funding made available to local authorities through grants from the local government fund.
The designation of projects to tackle anti social behaviour would, in this context, be a matter for the local authority concerned. However, in line with the Governments commitment to promoting social inclusion generally, a number of specific schemes operated by my Department may include funding for projects which are designed to benefit, in particular, disadvantaged local authority estates which suffer from anti-social behaviour. The provision of funding for such projects in 2004 will be considered in the context of the forthcoming Estimates process.
1320 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if support will be given to the Irish Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and its concerns regarding the disabled persons grant, which many local authorities have cancelled for 2003, be addressed. [21298/03]
I am aware of the concerns expressed by the Irish Association of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus regarding the operation of the disabled persons grant. The administration of the disabled persons grant scheme is a matter for individual local authorities. It is a matter for local authorities to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the scheme in their areas from within the combined allocations notified to them by my Department in respect of the disabled persons and essential repairs grants.
1321 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government if he has received an application for additional funding from Kildare County Council to enable it to meet the costs of the disabled person's grant scheme; if he will sanction the required additional funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21299/03]
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 Kildare County Council was €1.642 million.
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.