John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo the sentiments of previous speakers who referred to the benefit of the scheme to which the Bill relates. My council in Kilkenny has been very proactive in ensuring that the scheme is delivered across County Kilkenny. A staffing review of local authorities will commence this summer. Some of the issues to which Deputies referred focused on increasing levels of staffing in different authorities in order to ensure that applications are processed. As the Minister of State, Deputy English, indicated, the Government is not opposing the Bill. While we support the objective of a timely decision on applications, some of the provisions require further consideration to ensure that ease of access for applicants to the scheme continues.

This Bill seeks to address an administrative issue by means of primary legislation. The existing legislative base, namely, the Housing Acts and the regulations made under those Acts, already provides for the implementation of the measures called for in the Bill. On a practical level, it is unclear what real effect the additional documentary requirements proposed in the Bill would have on the processing times relating to the application process. They run the risk of placing additional burdens on applicants. As the Minister of State, Deputy English, stated earlier, the concern is that the flexibility exercised by local authorities could be reduced by some of the provisions in the Bill. Under the Bill, the inspection of inspection of properties could potentially be outsourced to privately-recruited engineers, with the applicants having to source and pay for this service. This work is effectively already being done by local authority technical staff. A personal visit by a local authority inspector to an applicant is very valuable in delivering a quality service to the people who need it. Placing the responsibility for this work on the applicant would also result in either the applicant having to be recompensed or bearing the cost himself or herself.

The Bill could also close down the flexibility for local authorities that already have a panel of occupational therapists available to evaluate applications when received. This arrangement often provides a local authority with a reliable report on the needs of an applicant and, coupled with the input of the authority's technical staff, helps to ensure that the funding is safeguarded for those most in need. Colleagues know that local authorities strive in every way to get the right services to the people who need them. We all know of cases where people with a disability or the elderly apply under the scheme and the local authority goes the extra mile, often prompted by its technical resources and the inspector who has visited the applicant in his or her home. I do not think any of us wants to lose those advantages of the scheme and that level of flexibility.

I fully accept that consistency of approach is a critical issue in the administration of these grants. This is being pursued through the implementation of Rebuilding Ireland, which sets out a clear roadmap to achieve the Government's goal of streamlining the application process and ensuring ease of access for applicants. The Government is focused on taking concrete action to deal with certain inconsistences which currently exist with regard to the grant application process and administration of the scheme nationwide. The majority of local authorities have adapted their approach in recent years to ensure that the available resources are targeted at those in most need, including prioritisation on the grounds of medical or financial need.

The Department seeks to bring together the experience that has been built up since the scheme was introduced and to ensure the shared knowledge is further developed across the 31 local authorities. I am very conscious of the social benefit accruing from the scheme, in particular facilitating people to remain living independently in their own homes and communities.

Significant progress has been made in increasing the reach of the grant scheme. More than 25,000 households have benefitted from the scheme during the first three years of Rebuilding Ireland, with funding for up to another 11,800 this year. That means almost 37,000 households will be assisted through the grants under Rebuilding Ireland by the end of 2019. The best way to ensure the State fully meets its obligations to those who need assistance is through improved delivery and the development and implementation of improved policies and measures, where required.

Notwithstanding improvements to the grants process, Members will agree on how critical it has been that we have increased the funding that has been made available for the scheme in recent years. The level of funding has increased year-on-year from 2014 when the figure was €43 million to an allocation of €71 million this year. The commitment of the Government to continue support for the scheme was reinforced again recently when we published the Housing Options for Our Ageing Population - Policy Statement, with the Ministers of State, Deputies English and Jim Daly.

As well as the increased funding in recent years the Department also works closely with local authorities to monitor spend over the year and to achieve a full drawdown of the available funding. As the year progresses, any underspend is redistributed to those authorities with high levels of grant activity who seek additional funding. Local authorities in turn will always work with qualifying applicants to ensure they get the most beneficial result, in line with their financial circumstances. The Minister of State, Deputy English, mentioned that the Department is in the middle of a review process on the grants which involves engaging with local authority practitioners that are on the front line. We have met already with 18 local authorities in the past two months and the focus of this effort is on identifying and addressing inconsistencies between local authorities and making the grants more accessible. In that work we identified variations in approach by local authorities, such as what ID is required or proof of earnings. The differences also include processing times for applications, which is the motivation for the Bill. I acknowledge, therefore, the merit of the Bill's main provision. The review is a significant process that I believe will improve the operation of the grants and achieve a better application processing arrangement without losing flexibilities that are currently working well for both the authorities and for the people who live in their areas and who avail of the grants. Accordingly, it is considered appropriate to adopt the reasoned amendment to the proposed Bill, and that it is deferred for a period of six months to explore further the extent to which the underlying ambition of the Bill can be addressed through the review already under way, and to allow for further consideration of certain legal issues associated with the Bill. Without that reasoned amendment, it may mean a money message cannot be issued in respect of the proposal and time is not given to accommodate our concerns with the legislation.

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