Ms R?ona Morris:

The maximum amount of €30,000 for the housing adaptation grant is very problematic. It has not kept up remotely with increases in building costs. It is often inadequate for the work being done. Another big issue is means testing. People are often excluded from it, particularly when we know that the cost of disability report showed the amount of extra costs people with disabilities have. Means testing is particularly problematic in this context. The report also showed that housing was one of the highest unaffordable extra costs people with disabilities face. This year the Department is doing a review of the housing adaptation grant. It is very important that the issues of the maximum grant amount as well as the means testing are resolved.