Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Minister of State will stay with us for the next Commencement matter.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I have been recently notified by Cavan County Council that it is pausing the private housing grant applications for the moment due to high demand. This refers to the housing adaptation grant, the mobility aids grant and the housing aid for older people grant. These grants are vital to make changes or improvements to homes to accommodate changing needs which may occur due to ageing and mobility issues as a result of ageing, accident or illness. It also makes it possible for older houses to continue to be liveable in respect of electrics, windows and doors, a leaky roof or so forth. These grants make it possible for people to continue living in their own homes and frequently make changes that allow life to be easier and accidents less likely to happen.

The county council is pausing applications with immediate effect so it can prioritise those with most need. At the moment, it is going forward by prioritising those with priority 1 status, those who require adaptions to allow them to leave hospital or a residential setting, or those who are terminally ill or dependent on a carer or family. However, even that aspect is funding-dependent. The county council hopes it is only a temporary measure but that is dependent on accessing increased funding.

It is quite early in the year to pause the grants. Last year, the council spent €2.2 million, but this year its allocation was only €1.8 million, which is still a considerable amount but it is not as much as it received last year. Last year, it received a top-up. It got €1.3 million last year but then received a top-up to bring it up to €2.2 million. The council told me that last year it approved 239 grants and this year, so far, 293 grants have been approved.

A little bit of it is a throwback to Covid because grants were being passed at the time and then construction could not be carried out because of restrictions, or the construction workers were not there to do the work. That, thankfully, has changed. The work is being done and the money needs to be paid out. Perhaps in a year or two, there will not be as much demand. We have to recognise as well that the grant system opened up the eligibility criteria, increasing it, and the thresholds increased, which means it has consequences. We also have an ageing population, which also has consequences. There will be need for increased funding for these grants as well as the council’s aspect that it spends an increased amount.

Is there a possibility a top-up will be given to Cavan County Council in order for it to ensure it can honour the grants it has approved and it continues to honour the priority 1 grants and, it is hoped, some of the others? I will give an example. One woman, who is 81 years of age, hoped to have the bath taken out of her house and get a level access shower. She applied for the grant last year but, unfortunately, her application seems to have gone missing. I had to sit down with her and do the application again and get all the information in, only to find the grants are being paused. For her, it means that if she slips in that bath, which is what she is terrified of, she could end up breaking a hip, needing hospitalisation or needing residential care. If, however, the level access shower can be provided now, that could prevent a very serious accident happening. I have other examples of people who are looking to replace windows and doors and were hoping to get it done before the winter, but now that is not a possibility. People who may have dangerous electrics in their home need to have them replaced, and that is not a possibility. A lot of work that could be carried out now could prevent more work being needed down the line if accidents occur or if the home deteriorates.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank Senator Tully for raising this important matter and allowing me the opportunity to provide an update to the House. My Department provides funding to local authorities under the housing adaptation grants for older people and disabled people scheme to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs.The suite of grants includes the housing adaptation grant for disabled people, the mobility aids grant and the housing aid for older persons grant, which are now 85% funded from the Exchequer, with a 15% contribution from the resources of the local authority, under the revised scheme which commenced from 1 December of last year. The detailed administration of these schemes, including assessment, approval, prioritisation and allocation, is a responsibility of local authorities.

In 2024, Exchequer funding of €74.5 million was initially allocated. Additional funding was secured for the scheme through a Supplementary Estimate of €8 million, resulting in Exchequer funding of €82.6 million overall. Over €103 million was allocated when this was including the local authority contribution, which was 20%, facilitating the payment of more than 15,000 grant claims. The Exchequer funding available for these grants in 2025 has been increased substantially by €25 million to €99.5 million, or over €117 million when accounting for the local authority contribution, continuing the year-on-year increases in funding that have occurred since 2014.

Local authorities were recently informed of their 2025 allocations, with each local authority receiving a substantial increase on the 2024 allocation. Cavan County Council received an Exchequer allocation of €1.86 million for 2025, an increase of 36% on the initial allocation of €1.37 million for 2024. This is actually €2.19 million when the council contribution is included.

In 2024, the county council received an allocation of €1.7 million, comprising €1.37 million funding and over €300,000 to be funded from the local authority's own resources. An additional allocation of €430,000 was allocated to Cavan County Council from the Supplementary Estimate, totalling an Exchequer spend of €1.8 million, or €2.26 million when including the local authority contribution.

The Department advises local authorities annually that, as far as practicable, a percentage of the allocation under the schemes should be ring-fenced in respect of any emergency applications that might arise under these schemes during the course of the year. Consequently, all local authorities manage their schemes to ensure access to the grants programme is maintained to the greatest extent possible throughout the year on a priority basis. I welcome the fact Cavan County Council continues to proactively prioritise applicants most in need, namely, those priority one applicants, such as individuals who are terminally ill, are primarily dependent on family or a carer, or where home adaptations would support them leaving hospital or residential care.

I acknowledge the representations made by Senator Tully with regard to her local authority in Cavan. As a Government, we are committed to supporting local authorities throughout the year in managing their allocations, as we have done every year to date.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State. As he noted, that tallies with what the council has been informed of and I know additional funding was provided last year. I am really asking whether there is a possibility that can happen again this year. I know the council has made an application for additional funding to the Department. The council is willing to try to come up with the matching funding of 15% within the council. It has to managed to do that even though it has put a fair burden on the council, because it realises the importance of these grants and the importance of honouring the priority one grants, in particular, by ensuring it has sufficient funds to cover those applications. The council does not know the volume of grant applications with priority one status requiring work to be done to a home yet to be sent to the office. Will the Minister of State give an indication as to whether additional funding will be made available this year, as it was last year? The funding will be put to good use. I understand Cavan County Council is probably not the only local authority looking for additional funding. I know a number of them did not spend their allocations but the vast majority did and required more funding.

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The information I have is that Cavan County Council has drawn down €1.5 million of its €1.86 million allocation and, with that 15% local authority contribution, it has resources of €2.19 million to spend this year. Our Department works closely with every local authority to maximise drawdown under the scheme. That does mean any underspends that arise in other local authorities can be redistributed to local authorities that have high levels of grant activity in an effort to redistribute them. Given the benefits of the schemes, which I see in my county of Waterford in terms of drawdown, and the difference they make to communities, families and individuals on the ground, we want to see a maximum drawdown of allocations. We will continue to work with local authorities in respect of their allocations.