Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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I am sharing time with Deputy Ciarán Lynch and I propose to speak for two minutes.

Cork County Council announced last week that it would be cutting a range of grants designed to help people to make modifications to their homes, namely, the essential repairs grant, the mobility aids grant, the housing adaptation grant and the housing aid for the elderly grant. The reason is that it is not in a budgetary position to deal with the number of applications being made. The county council has stated that where possible it will try to process the disabled person's grant. That specifically relates to Cork County Council's northern division.

We are asking that the Minister consider an increase in the funding stream. The Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, will tell the House there has been an increase year on year in the overall allocation for 2008 and the total amount disbursed in 2007. The announcement in February by the then Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, caused the other schemes announced to become so successful that hundreds of people applied for them. That created an expectation. We now find in the northern division of Cork County Council that there is a lack of funding to meet the schemes of which many vulnerable and older people are in need to carry out necessary modifications to their homes. I call on the Minister to see if there is any way to provide an increase in the funding stream.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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I seek from the Minister an assurance in response to the genuine concern that the housing aid for the elderly programme is about to collapse because it is a victim of its own success. There is real concern among people who are old, ill or disabled that the badly needed stair lift, bathroom conversion, downstairs toilet or extension will not happen because the money is not with the local authorities. At this stage a number of local authorities have spent their allocation and the budget has been exhausted. This is a scheme that provides for the most vulnerable in society. It is incredible that half way through the year elderly people, disabled people and people with illnesses should be told they will have to wait until 2009 in the middle of an economic downturn. This needs to be seriously addressed in the House tonight.

The budget for Cork City Council has gone from €1.827 million to €1.855 million, an increase of almost €30,000, which is the equivalent of perhaps three stair lifts or a bathroom conversion and a stair lift. It would not be enough to cover a ground-floor extension. Should we really accept that the measurement of the increase would not even cover the cost of a downstairs extension? I hope that the Minister of State will indicate this evening that these costs will be met this year. These schemes allow elderly, disabled and sick people to continue living in their homes. It is a scheme that works and provides a long-term benefit. It is an efficient scheme when measured against the cost of elderly and disabled people not being able to live at home.

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputies for giving me the opportunity to speak about the housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with disabilities. The Government is very much aware of the critical role that the adaptation grant schemes play in the context of the overall continuum of care for older people and people with a disability.

In order to facilitate the continued independent occupation of their own homes by older people and people with disabilities, and following a comprehensive review undertaken by my Department, a revised framework of adaptation grant schemes to assist older people and people with disabilities with their accommodation needs was implemented in November 2007. The revised grant framework streamlines the administrative and operational procedures governing the schemes, provides a more targeted and integrated response to the housing needs of older people and people with disabilities, and ensures the most efficient and cost effective outcomes from the funding available, through the targeting of available resources to those in most need. The administration of the schemes is a matter for individual local authorities within the framework laid down in statutory regulations, which as far as practicable is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility at local level.

The housing adaptation grant schemes are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department, together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. A combined capital allocation of €71.4 million has been made available to local authorities for the operation of the schemes in private houses in 2008. Individual allocations were notified to local authorities based on their estimated requirements as notified to my Department and expenditure trends in previous years. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed towards each of the schemes from within the combined allocation notified to them and to manage the operation of the schemes in their area from within this allocation.

The funding provided to Cork County Council has not been cut. A combined capital allocation of €5.516 million was notified to the council for the operation of the schemes in 2008. Past expenditure trends were taken into account in finalising this year's allocations and the €5.516 million allocation to Cork County Council for 2008 is in line with the expenditure recouped by my Department to the council in 2006 and 2007, which was €5.499 million and €5.433 million respectively.

Requests for additional funding for the operation of the schemes are dealt with in the context of the reallocation of surplus resources from other local authorities. Allocations provided to local authorities are generally revised during the course of the year where expenditure is higher or lower than anticipated.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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I ask the Minister of State——

John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Allow the Minister of State to speak.

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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In this context, and to ensure optimum effectiveness from the funding available, my Department has advised all local authorities to monitor very carefully their expenditure under the schemes. Applications for additional funding from a number of authorities, including Cork County Council, will be considered by my Department in the light of any savings emerging later in the year in other local authority areas.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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I ask the Minister of State to clarify a point, which would allow him to resolve this matter

John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot allow a question at this point.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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The Minister of State talked about the combined allocation.

John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot allow a question.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Since last November the housing aid for the elderly programme has been switching between the local authorities and the HSE.

John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot allow the Deputy to proceed.