Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the issue of housing aid for older people and the mobility and housing adaption grants. I welcome the announcement by the Ministers that they will increase the income thresholds and the level of funding available to local authorities to provide additional money for the works that need to be carried out. The grants will increase by 30% and I believe the income threshold will increase by 25%. It is something I have been advocating for. My only problem with it is the announcement was made and will be implemented some time in quarter 1 of next year. In the meantime, people are coming to me who have made applications and who are wondering if they will qualify for the higher grants or if they will be assessed under the older grants. If someone has put in an application which has not been dealt with and the new grants are brought in, under which regime will they be assessed? Will the Minister consider bringing the whole thing forward so that anyone applying from now on could benefit from this much-needed increase in funding?

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