Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 400: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by persons with disabilities in accessing the disabled person's housing grant; and the measures he proposes to introduce to make these grants more accessible. [14329/04]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The disabled persons grant scheme is administered by individual local authorities. The framework for the operation of the scheme is laid down in statutory regulations and, as far as practicable, is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility to local authorities. My Department recoups to authorities two thirds of their expenditure on the payment of individual grants. It is the responsibility of the authorities to fund the remaining one third from their own resources from amounts provided for that purpose in their annual estimates of expenditure.

Capital funding of €65 million has been provided for the payment of disabled persons and essential repairs grants in 2004. Returns have now been received from all local authorities detailing their expenditure on these schemes in 2003 and their estimated requirements for 2004. On the basis of these returns, individual allocations, now being finalised, will be notified to authorities shortly. It is a matter for local authorities to decide on the level of funding to be provided in their areas for each of the grant schemes from within this allocation.

The improvements which have been made in recent years to the maximum disabled persons grant and the level of recoupment available have resulted in increased levels of demand with expenditure on the scheme increasing from €13 million for 2,455 grants in 1998 to over €50 million for over 5,700 grants in 2003. In line with this very significant increase in my Department's capital provision for the scheme, recoupment costs have also increased from €6.3 million for 2,512 grants in 1998 to almost €37.5 million for 6,153 grants in 2003. In that time the maximum grant has doubled from €10,158 to €20,320. These increases in the levels of funding provided are a clear indication of the Government's commitment to the disabled persons grant scheme.

A review of the disabled persons grant scheme is being finalised in my Department at present. On its completion, I will be in a position to determine the changes, if any, required to the regulations governing the scheme to ensure that the funding available is directed at those persons in greatest need of such assistance.