Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have three questions for the Minister. If he does not have enough time to respond now, he might come back to me in writing or at the end of the meeting. First, I welcome the provision for adaptation grants. That is an issue on which all of us have been working with the local authorities. From what I have seen myself and also what I hear from colleagues, the local authorities are experiencing difficulties in this regard because of the Covid-19 restrictions. Are their staff able to make house calls and undertake assessments of grant applications? If not, what will be the implications of that for the scheme in the long term?

Second, capital funding for Carlow County Council is one of the lowest in the country. I have spoken to both Mary Hurley, assistant secretary at the Department, and the Minister about this matter. Is there any update in that regard?

Third, the Minister knows I am adamant about the need to address the threshold to qualify for local authority housing. Again, Carlow County Council has one of the lowest provisions in this regard. We need to look at the threshold for qualification because some people are becoming homeless.