Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I must be the third man on this side of the House. The programme for Government contains a commitment to keep people in their own homes for as long as possible. In that regard, I note that the disabled person's grants scheme, while very welcome in all counties, is completely oversubscribed. In my county alone in the priority 1 category, many people have been refused the grant owing to oversubscription. As I have done before, I ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, to consider the reintroduction of the housing aid for the elderly scheme, whereby a small grant of approximately €5,000 could be matched by families, either through work or materials, to extend the capacity of people to live in their homes for longer.

See this speech in context