Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of housing adaptation grants. I note the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, is present. There is a review under way of the whole programme, which is successful and provides funding for people who need to adapt their houses due to mobility issues or for older people who need to do improvements on their houses. The problem is that with the construction inflation we have had over the past number of years, the level of grants have not been increased and the threshold for the income has not risen. I know that a review is ongoing and that it is with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform at the moment. It is important this review is published in order that the local authorities can have more flexibility. In my constituency of Galway East, a lot of grants are just not providing sufficient funds to get works carried out and people are suffering as a consequence.

See this speech in context