Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

I am taking the reply on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I thank the Deputy for raising the question as it provides the Department with an opportunity to outline the current situation with regard to the housing aid for the elderly scheme. The scheme is administered by the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The primary aim of the scheme is to provide financial assistance to older people who reside alone and who, from their own resources, are not in a position to carry out urgent necessary repairs to their own homes. Basically, as the Deputy is aware, aid is made available for repairs to make a dwelling suitable for the older person by providing a warm, safe, secure and healthy environment for the lifetime of the older person, thereby enabling older people to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible. The type of works envisaged in the scheme includes the replacement of windows and doors, roof repairs, provision of heating and sanitary facilities and necessary electrical works.

Applications for the scheme are assessed by HSE personnel. While the means of the applicant and spouse or partner may be considered, eligibility for this scheme is not based on means only and a number of guidelines apply. The applicant must be aged 65 years or over, live on their own or with another older person or a person with a disability, live in unfit or unsanitary conditions and have no able bodied person available to carry out essential repairs. In addition, the housing aid scheme applies to privately owned accommodation only.

Due to the nature of the group who apply, their individual circumstances and the extent of their need, considerable latitude is taken in applying the guidelines. The works that may receive grant aid may be undertaken by private contractors engaged by the applicant or by voluntary organisations working in conjunction with HSE staff.

The budget received by the HSE from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has increased substantially year on year in recent years. In 2006 the task force on special housing aid for the elderly in the Department allocated a total of €17.02 million for the operation of the scheme by the different HSE regions. This has allowed the HSE to increase the number of grants being made available under the scheme.

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