Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator McFadden for giving me an opportunity to speak about the operation of the housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability. The Government is aware of the critical role the adaptation grant schemes play in the context of an overall continuum of care for older people and people with a disability. Following a comprehensive review undertaken by my Department, a revised framework of adaptation grant schemes to assist older people and people with a disability with their accommodation needs was implemented in November 2007. The aim of the framework is to facilitate continued independent living at home. The revised grant framework streamlines the administrative and operational procedures governing the schemes. It provides a more targeted and integrated response to the housing needs of the target groups. It ensures the most efficient and cost-effective outcomes from the funding available. It focuses available resources on those in most need. The administration of the schemes is a matter for individual local authorities within a regulatory framework which is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility at local level.

The housing adaptation grant schemes are funded by 80% recoupment from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of local authorities. A combined capital allocation of €71.4 million was initially made available to local authorities for the operation of the schemes in private houses in 2008. That figure has increased from about €10 million since 2000. 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 it, and to manage the operation of the schemes in its area from within this allocation.

Individual allocations were made to local authorities based on their estimated requirements, as notified to my Department, and expenditure trends in previous years. A combined capital allocation of €1.46 million was made to Westmeath County Council, in line with the allocation of €1.43 million in 2007. In response to the particularly high levels of activity under the revised schemes, which certain local authorities are currently experiencing, my Department recently made supplementary Exchequer allocations totalling €3.6 million towards the operation of these schemes by those authorities this year. As I explained to a deputation of elected representatives and officials from Westmeath when I met with them yesterday, while Westmeath County Council was not among those authorities, the issue of an additional allocation to the council will be considered in the event of further funding becoming available.

The scheme has been very successful nationally, because most of the local authorities had not put in their allocations which are needed locally to meet the scheme. Local authorities may have been caught by surprise in the level of interest in the scheme, and the Department may have been surprised as well. There was a tie-over from the old scheme to the new scheme this year. That had to be cleared up. Many of those schemes came back this year, as has been explained to me by housing officers around the country. I am conscious of the difficulties involved.

I am also conscious of the HSE issue, and that matter has not been fully resolved yet. There is a question of staff transfer and agreement needs to be reached between the local authorities and the HSE. Those discussions are ongoing and I hope they will be brought to a satisfactory conclusion soon.