Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and I thank the Acting Chairperson for selecting this important matter. Like many public representatives, I recognise the importance of the housing adaptation grant, the housing aid grant and the mobility aid grant for many constituents. These grants can be, and for so many are, life-changing and they ensure many of our older population and those with a disability can continue to live in their homes in comfort, with the continued support of their loved ones. Nevertheless, I have been getting an increasing number of worrying calls from applicants to all the grants indicating they cannot afford to proceed with these grants given the rising building costs and the current limits on the grants.In many cases the 95% maximum of the €8,000 housing aid grant is simply nowhere near what is needed to replace those ancient windows, those out of date electrics or that leaky roof. The €30,000 available under the housing adaptation grant will not ensure that a loved one can continue to live at home, supported and cared for by those who know him or her best. I am sure I do not have to tell the Minister of State that in many cases I and other public representatives who I speak to are dealing with applicants who have no other option than to consider moving out of their homes or for a family to consider full or part-time care for their children or family members in nearby appropriate facilities. The costs to these applicants and the State are worrying in the extreme.

I also want to raise the situation of tenants who are waiting for work to be done by their local authorities. In many local authorities I know that a system is applied by the council with the A list being the highest priority and those who receive a C listing being the lowest priority. In many local authorities the waiting list for those on the A priority list is growing. I am informed that the allocations to tenant upgrades are far less than what the Government offered to private homes. If a number of extensions are needed in local authority homes this will result in little or no other works being carried out, given the cost of the building of such extensions and the amount of funding allocated to these grants by the Government. Many of us have asked why these are not rolling grants, which would allow local authorities to plan this work as opposed to waiting on a yearly announcement from the Department as is currently the case. It must be difficult for councils to be waiting on word each year on how funding will be allocated in order to plan tenders and associated works, while at the same time, with growing building costs, having to return to the Department for approval for works over certain limits.

I want to thank the local authority officials who work on these apartments. I have always appreciated their co-operation and assistance and they go above and beyond the call of duty for so many people on a daily basis. When I raised these issues last year I was informed that the Department was carrying out a review of these grants. I sincerely hope the Minister of State can bring us some good news today. Building costs have dramatically increased in recent years and I am currently directing many applicants to the community welfare service to try to bridge the gap and allow as many applicants as possible to carry out the work they need to qualify for, and in so many cases, that they desperately need. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.