Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I, too, welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Deenihan, to the House. It is great to see him. A number of councillors throughout the country have raised with me their concerns regarding housing adaptation grants scheme funding for the elderly and people with a disability, which has been very successful in providing elderly and disabled people with a degree of comfort by facilitating them to continue living in their own homes for longer periods, which is to be welcomed. People coming towards the end of their lives deserve to be able to live in dignity. These schemes have facilitated many thousands of elderly people to do necessary remedial works to their homes, including installation of accessible bathrooms, new windows, doors and roofs, and insulation.

The problem is that the local authorities have not as yet been notified of their contribution towards these schemes for 2015. The allocation for this scheme should be increased as it would have the double effect of facilitating address of the issues outlined on behalf of our older citizens and provide employment for small construction companies employing two or three people as opposed to larger construction operators. Smaller construction companies are better able to provide this service and the quotations and so on required under these schemes.

I cannot for the life of me understand why the local authorities have not yet been told their contribution for 2015. My understanding is that in 2014 and previous years they were made aware of their allocations under this scheme in January. When will the local authorities receive a circular outlining their contribution for this year and can we expect that the amount provided for each local authority will be an increase on that provided in 2014?

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I thank Senator Conway for raising this important matter. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government provides funding to local authorities for the housing adaptation grant scheme for older people and people with a disability. Under this scheme, a suite of grants is available to private home owners. The scheme is of significant social benefit in terms of facilitating the continued independent occupancy by older people and people with a disability of their homes. The grants are 80% funded by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, with a 20% contribution from the resources of each local authority. Exchequer funding of more than €37 million was provided for these grants in 2014. This amount, combined with the contributions from the local authorities, amounted to overall spend of €46.3 million. National funding for 2015 is to increase by 10%, giving a combined spend of €50.5 million. Individual allocations to local authorities will be made shortly. Some 8,000 households are expected to benefit under the schemes in 2015. The Minister is aware that the grant measures are heavily subscribed across local authority areas and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will be requesting local authorities, where necessary, to prioritise those applications based on need.

At local level, the detailed administration of these schemes, including assessment, approval and payment of individual grants to applicants, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. Funding is also available to support local authorities in undertaking adaptations and extensions to their own social housing stock to meet the needs of their tenants with a disability or to address serious overcrowding. Support from the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government meets 90% of costs, with local authorities providing the remaining 10%. Again, the implementation of works under these supports for local authority tenants is a matter for the authorities. It is for them to determine in the first instance if the works are needed to make the accommodation more suitable for the tenant and to prioritise the use of available resources.

In recent years, despite significant funding reductions for social housing overall, a concerted effort has been made to protect expenditure in respect of extensions and adaptations to local authority homes. In 2014, funding nationally in this area was €8 million. I know that the Minister, Deputy Kelly, hopes to ensure that 2015 funding for these supports to local authorities is at least maintained at the same level as last year.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. In regard to the statement in his response that allocations will be made available to the local authorities shortly, will the Minister of State be a little bit more specific and, perhaps, provide us with a date in that regard? Councillors and officials are crying out for a date to enable them to proceed to the next stage and make grants available.

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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On leaving the House, I will contact the Minister's office and request that information for the Senator.