Ms Caroline Timmons:

We have a new policy this year for housing for people who are disabled. That covers much of the ground the Senator is looking at, so we will start there. Flowing from that, disability steering groups in local authorities address housing. That looks at the population and the age profile of those with disabilities as well as what housing they need. The Senator is right that there is a relationship between disability and older people that we need to recognise. Universal design needs to be brought in. In Housing Options for Our Ageing Population, we looked at the question of universal design. We are trying to make progress on that with the National Disability Authority, to bring forward a cost-benefit analysis related to incorporating universal principles into social housing. It is important we understand the cost and benefits of progressing that. Universally designed housing is not specifically for a cohort the Senator mentioned, but it could be used for any of the cohorts he mentioned. If he is looking for a specific measure that would cover each person, I would say that all of them will be designed for older people.

The Senator is right, though, that for older members of the Travelling community that could be slightly more complex. We have provided a budget of €18 million for capital works for Traveller accommodation. It is important that local authorities look at how many of those projects are for older people. Whether the preference is for Traveller-specific accommodation or, as in many cases, social housing proper, which is absolutely fine, it is important that local authorities understand themselves what the need in the locality is. The HNDA provides for them doing that level of work. The local authority and its Age Friendly Ireland officer should be aware of the demographics of the older population in that local authority. That information should be supplied to the local authorities in order that they make the decisions with the categories in mind as well as what they might need to cater to.

As for the migrant community and older women, all social housing that comes through for older people will apply to them as well. It is not necessarily that they need something specifically different; it is just that we need more of it to provide for them. That comes back to the supply factor, promoting the supply of housing generally, which the whole of pathway 3 of Housing for All does. That can address any older person who is in the market. Then it is a matter of promoting more generally the supply of social housing, which, of course, can be allocated to older people as well as any other category of person. It is not just about developments specifically for older people; it is about all social housing such that there are options for people in their local areas if they need social housing.

Senator Boyhan's point about rural Ireland has been accepted a number of times. Obviously, this is not just about the city dwellers. We can look at that as well.

I think Ms McArdle wants to come in on some of the community aspects so I will hand over to her.