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Gnáthamharc

Housing Grants.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 July 2004

Wednesday, 7 July 2004

Ceisteanna (304, 305)

Seán Power

Ceist:

313 Mr. S. Power asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of applications received by Kildare County Council under the disabled person’s and essential repairs grant scheme during the past 12 months; the number of grants paid each month during that period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20626/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The information available to my Department on activity under the disabled person's and essential repair grant schemes is published in the Department's annual housing statistics bulletin. The latest bulletin, for 2003, was published in May 2004. Copies of the bulletin are available in the Oireachtas Library.

Seán Power

Ceist:

314 Mr. S. Power asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he is concerned with the implementation of the disabled person’s and essential repairs grant scheme by some local authorities; the monitoring of the administering of the scheme done by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20627/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

The administration of the disabled person's and essential repairs grant schemes, including the processing of individual applications, is a matter for local authorities. The framework for the operation of the schemes is laid down in statutory regulations and, as far as practicable, is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility to local authorities. The increases to the grant and recoupment levels and to the proportion of the cost of approved work payable, which were introduced by my Department over the past few years, have led to a significant increase in activity under the schemes. To meet this demand the funding provided by Government has enabled expenditure to increase from €13 million in 1998 to €65 million this year.

I am anxious to ensure that the disabled person's and essential repairs grant schemes are operated by local authorities in the most efficient, cost effective and user-friendly manner possible. It is obvious that local authorities have recently become more conscious of the need to manage the schemes to ensure the available funding is directed towards those most in need of assistance, having regard to the priorities in their own areas. Management of the schemes is also necessary to ensure that authorities remain within their capital allocation and do not put undue pressure on their own revenue accounts, from which they provide one third of the available funding.

My Department monitors activity on the schemes through the compilation of statistical information on the level of applications received and approved by and in the hands of local authorities. Expenditure and recoupment levels are also monitored, as are emerging trends in the operation of the schemes. In addition, discussions take place between my Department and local authorities throughout the year at official level in the context of the annual financial allocations.

Question No. 315 answered with QuestionNo. 305.
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