Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

That is up to the individual council. However, in recent weeks while there is a problem in giving extra funding for this scheme because of the sources of funds, approximately an extra €7 million has been offered to county councils under the disabled person's grant and the essential repairs grant schemes. It is up to the individual local authorities to determine the issues on which the money is spent.

There is no Department rule which says doors or windows are excluded. That is a matter for the individual council to decide and prioritise. I am not sure whether County Kerry took up the extra money offered to it in recent times. However, extra money under the essential repairs grant and disabled person's grant schemes has been offered to the Deputy's local authority over the last four or five weeks. How it spends that and the flexibility it has will determine whether that money is spent on doors or windows, as it wishes.

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