Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Wall for raising this very important issue and allowing me the opportunity to provide an update on the matter. My Department provides funding to local authorities under the suite of housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability, to assist people in private houses make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. This also facilitates early returns from hospital stays. The grants include the housing adaptation grant for people with a disability, the mobility aids grant and the housing aid for older people grant, which are 80% funded by my Department, together with a 20% matching contribution from local authority resources. The detailed administration of these schemes, including assessment, approval, prioritisation and apportionment between the three schemes is the responsibility of local authorities.

Funding of €81.25 million is available nationally in 2022 for the housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability scheme. A further €83.75 million has been allocated for 2023 continuing the overall year-on-year increases in the grant since 2014.

The housing options for our ageing populations policy statement emphasised the Department's commitment to streamlining the application process, and ensuring that grants were more accessible to applicants. Following stakeholder engagement, a revised single application form to cover these three grants, which was tested for plain English, was issued to all local authorities for implementation in early 2020, together with revised guidelines. The Department continues to ensure full implementation of this new process by local authorities to deliver a more accessible grant application process as well as standardising the approach across all local authorities.

In addition to this improved streamlining of the grants scheme, Housing for All commits to undertaking a review of the range of housing grants available to assist with meeting specific housing needs both for our ageing population and people with a disability. The review is continuing within my Department informed by a focused stakeholder consultation process, which resulted in more than 40 submissions received from a range of stakeholders. These included local authorities, the Department of Health, the HSE, Age Friendly Ireland, the Disability Federation of Ireland, the Irish Wheelchair Association, Jack and Jill Foundation, Independent Living Movement Ireland, AslAm, Family Carers Ireland, and Acquired Brain Injury Ireland. Among things being considered under the review are income thresholds, grant limits, the application and decision making processes, and including supplementary documentation required. The review will also consider the Cost of Disability in Ireland research report, which was published by my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, in December 2021. The review remains on target to be completed by the end of this year. I acknowledge the Senator's significant interest in this and his raising it on a number of occasions.