I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 40 together.
On foot of a Government Decision, taken in February 2006, to transfer the administration of the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme (SHAE) from the Health Service Executive (HSE) to the local authority sector, a revised suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability was implemented on 1 November, 2007. The revised schemes target available resources to those in most need, streamline operational and administrative procedures and ensure equity and consistency of operation across all local authority areas. In order to facilitate transitional arrangements, it was agreed between my Department and the HSE that the SHAE scheme would be discontinued from 1 August 2008 and that the HSE would process and approve the applications on hand at that date. My Department agreed to recoup the full cost of all such grant payments to the HSE. All new applications in respect of grant assistance for home repairs and improvements with effect from 1 August 2008 would be directed to the local authorities and dealt with under the provisions of the Housing Aid for Older People scheme.
My Department provided a total of €14.7 million to the HSE in 2008 for the operation of the SHAE scheme. In July 2009, following detailed consultation with the HSE, my Department provided a further €3.5 million in respect of the remaining claims on hand in all HSE regions. The Dublin Mid-Leinster region received an allocation of €0.5 million, the full amount sought by the HSE. It is a matter for the HSE to apportion funding within regions.
The HSE did not advise my Department of any requirement for additional funding in 2010 in respect of those applications on hand prior to 1 August, 2008. In light of this and on the understanding that all outstanding grant claims would be met from the 2009 allocation, no provision was made for an allocation to the HSE in 2010. Having regard to the continued priority which the Government attaches to the suite of housing adaptation grants and the high level of demand across all local authorities, on 5 March 2010, I announced a record Exchequer allocation of some €80 million to the local authorities for spending on the grant schemes this year.
