Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 April 2019
595. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the ranking of a person on the list will be affected when Cork City Council takes over the waiting list for approved disabled persons grant applications on local authority properties; the measures in place to ensure that persons will not be disadvantaged by virtue of the boundary change between city and county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15224/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraTo meet the needs of local authority tenants, under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme, my Department provides funding to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to their existing social housing stock. The scheme applies to adaptations that are necessary to address the needs of older people or people with a disability or for extensions in cases of overcrowding. My Department is currently finalising the funding requirements for all local authorities under the scheme in 2019; in the meantime they have been advised to continue with the programme pending their 2019 allocation. It is a matter for all local authorities, to prioritise the works required under this scheme and to assess individual applications in that context.
The Cork boundary alteration is the most significant of its kind undertaken in the State. The Local Government Act 2019 came into effect on 31 January 2019 and provides primarily for the alteration of the administrative boundary between Cork County Council and Cork City Council. This alteration is planned to take place when the new Councils take office after the local elections in late May 2019. The Act provides for the establishment of a statutory Cork Boundary Alteration Implementation Oversight Committee to ensure that the challenges of implementation are addressed effectively and to oversee arrangements for the alteration of the boundary in accordance with an implementation plan.
Responsibility for the detailed planning and implementation of the reorganisation process rests primarily with the two local authorities, subject to guidance and oversight by the Oversight Committee and compliance with the Implementation Plan. The Committee has advised my Department that work is continuing in a timely fashion towards the transfer day of 31 May 2019. The statutory implementation plan was produced in February and I am satisfied with the engagement and the level of readiness in the local authorities and the implementation oversight by the Oversight Committee.
My understanding is that it has been agreed that the County Council will accept, process and finish out grant applications received until 30 May 2019, at which stage new applications in the relevant area will then be the responsibility of the City Council from 31 May 2019.
