Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for articulating the case of Alexis and her family and the comments by the OT about improving the quality of care and reducing physical discomfort. These are really vital issues for her care, well-being and her quality of life.

My Department provides funding to local authorities under the suite of housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable to their needs and to facilitate early return from hospital stays.

The detailed administration of the grants, including their assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of the local authorities. The current housing adaptation grant for older people and people with a disability scheme is underpinned by secondary legislation. The provisions of regulation 7 of the Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability) Regulations 2007 set out the types of mobility aids the grant can be used for, including accessible showers, access ramps, grab rails, stair lifts and so on. The Department has also provided guidance to local authorities since the scheme came into operation in 2007.

Medical aids and devices that require the assistance of a carer who is specially trained in their use are not currently funded under the scheme. Consequently, the funding of ceiling hoists, which are medical devices that require specialised training to use, are not provided for under the scheme. However, funding can be provided for the infrastructure to support a hoist, for example, the reinforcement of a ceiling. In order to provide clarity on this matter, a specific question on the funding of hoists was included in the frequently asked questions document issued to local authorities in 2020, which clarified that funding was not available for ceiling hoists.

I can confirm that officials from my Department are engaging with the HSE and the Department of Health on this issue as it is important that there is a clear avenue for funding of hoists going forward. Officials met in March to specifically discuss fixed-track ceiling hoists and it is hoped that a suitable agreement on funding of hoists will be reached over the coming months. My Department is committed to ensuring that the grant is appropriately targeted.

Housing for All commits to undertaking a review of the range of housing grants available to assist with meeting specific housing needs both for our ageing population and people with a disability. An initial element of this review has begun and is currently focused on the existing grant limits and income thresholds applicable to the grant schemes. The wider scope of the review, to be completed this year, is also under consideration and is being informed by ongoing engagement with external stakeholders, including the Department of Health, the HSE, the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Disability Federation of Ireland.

This probably does not provide comfort to the family the Deputy has spoken about but certainly it offers some hope in the sense that the discussions between the HSE and the Department will lead to some conclusion that might have a more streamlined response, as he has requested. I await his response.

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