Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2012
196 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which adequate funds are available to the local authorities to meet the requirements arising from disabled persons’ grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6173/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. The grant schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority.
In order to determine the capital allocations for 2012, my Department requested local authorities to submit details of their funding requirements under the grant schemes by 20 January, 2012. The information received is being examined at present with a view to determining this year's capital allocations to local authorities. I intend to announce details of the allocations as soon as possible after the publication of the 2012 Revised Estimates for Public Services.
While a number of authorities have advised my Department of constraints on their Revenue budgets, local authorities collectively have indicated that €18.649m is being made available in 2012. In order to ease the pressure on Revenue budgets, my Department advised local authorities that Internal Capital Receipts from the sale of local authority houses and properties could be used to augment the available revenue funds.
