John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 496: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the funding available for adapting houses to the needs of older persons; and the extent of funding for older persons for the maintenance, insulation and essential repair of their homes and appliances. [12163/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The accommodation needs of older people are catered for by a number of schemes operated by my Department. The essential repairs grant scheme is designed to enable people whose houses cannot be made habitable in all respects at a reasonable cost to have basic repairs carried out. The types of work allowable under the scheme, which is administered by local authorities, include repairs to roofs, chimneys, gables, repair-replacement of windows and doors, drylining, rewiring, provision of central heating etc. The maximum grant under the scheme is €9,523 and can cover up to 100% of the cost of the works. It is estimated that some 2,100 grants were paid under the scheme in 2004 at an estimated cost of €9.4 million.

The disabled persons grant scheme, which is also administered by local authorities, provides grant assistance for works necessary for the proper accommodation of disabled persons, including older people. The types of work allowable under the scheme include the provision of access ramps, downstairs toilet facilities, stairlifts, accessible showers, adaptations to facilitate wheelchair access, extensions etc. The maximum grant under the scheme is €20,320 and can cover up 90% of the cost of the works. It is estimated that some 5,300 grants were paid under the scheme in 2004 at an estimated cost of some €45 million.

The special housing aid for the elderly scheme was established to provide assistance by way of necessary emergency repairs to improve conditions in the existing house of elderly persons living alone in unfit or unsanitary conditions. The scheme is administered by a task force under the aegis of my Department and is operated at local level by the Health Service Executive. Some 4,414 jobs were completed under the scheme in 2004 at a cost of €10.8 million.

Older people will also benefit from the central heating programme introduced by my Department in July 2004. The programme will assist local authorities in providing central heating facilities in their rented dwellings which lack them. This scheme has been extended for a further period in 2005. Funding for these schemes in 2005 totals €116.6 million.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 497: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the amendment to the capital assistance scheme introduced in November 2001, he will give access to housing association properties for the older persons built with capital assistance to older Irish emigrants wishing to return to their homeland through the Safe Home programme; if the details of those older emigrants on the Safe Home programme waiting list will be calculated in each of the county council assessment of housing need figures for 2005 as a category in their own right; the recently notified requirements that such applicants holding PPS numbers will not be a requirement at this time to ensure that the assessment of housing needs be fully inclusive and truly representative of housing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12186/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Under the amendment made to the terms of my Department's voluntary housing capital assistance scheme in November 2001, up to 25% of accommodation in new projects provided throughout the country by individual voluntary housing bodies with funding under the scheme may be allocated to elderly returning emigrants who satisfy eligibility criteria in relation to their present circumstances and are included in the Safe Home waiting list.

The Safe Home organisation carries out a co-ordinating role liaising with relevant individual voluntary housing bodies throughout the country in relation to accommodation for eligible elderly emigrants who are included on their waiting lists. Safe Home assesses applications from elderly emigrants for accommodation under the scheme and compiles a list of eligible applicants. It liaises with relevant voluntary bodies throughout the country and with local authorities in relation to accommodation for eligible elderly emigrants on its waiting list and carries out a co-ordinating role generally in relation to the scheme.

Allocation of accommodation under the amended scheme is not contingent on persons being included or accepted for inclusion in the housing authority assessment of housing need. Instead, specified conditions in relation to their present circumstances and inclusion in the Safe Home waiting list are relevant.