Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputies for giving me the opportunity to speak about the housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with disabilities. The Government is very much aware of the critical role that the adaptation grant schemes play in the context of the overall continuum of care for older people and people with a disability.

In order to facilitate the continued independent occupation of their own homes by older people and people with disabilities, and following a comprehensive review undertaken by my Department, a revised framework of adaptation grant schemes to assist older people and people with disabilities with their accommodation needs was implemented in November 2007. The revised grant framework streamlines the administrative and operational procedures governing the schemes, provides a more targeted and integrated response to the housing needs of older people and people with disabilities, and ensures the most efficient and cost effective outcomes from the funding available, through the targeting of available resources to those in most need. The administration of the schemes is a matter for individual local authorities within the framework laid down in statutory regulations, which as far as practicable is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility at local level.

The housing adaptation grant schemes are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department, together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. A combined capital allocation of €71.4 million has been made available to local authorities for the operation of the schemes in private houses in 2008. Individual allocations were notified to local authorities based on their estimated requirements as notified to my Department and expenditure trends in previous years. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed towards each of the schemes from within the combined allocation notified to them and to manage the operation of the schemes in their area from within this allocation.

The funding provided to Cork County Council has not been cut. A combined capital allocation of €5.516 million was notified to the council for the operation of the schemes in 2008. Past expenditure trends were taken into account in finalising this year's allocations and the €5.516 million allocation to Cork County Council for 2008 is in line with the expenditure recouped by my Department to the council in 2006 and 2007, which was €5.499 million and €5.433 million respectively.

Requests for additional funding for the operation of the schemes are dealt with in the context of the reallocation of surplus resources from other local authorities. Allocations provided to local authorities are generally revised during the course of the year where expenditure is higher or lower than anticipated.

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