Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 308: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason sufficient funds have not been made available to Kildare County Council to fund essential repair grant applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16725/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a matter for local authorities to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the essential repairs grant scheme in their area from within the allocation notified to them for disabled persons and essential repairs grants by my Department and to manage the operation of the schemes from within this allocation. My Department recoups to local authorities two thirds of their expenditure on the payment of individual grants and it is a matter for the authorities to fund the remaining one third from their own revenue resources with amounts provided for that purpose in their annual estimates of expenses.

In May 2004, Kildare County Council received a combined capital allocation of €934,000 for disabled persons and essential repairs grants in May 2004. It subsequently sought an increase in the allocation of €116,000, which was allocated to it on 9 September, to bring its total allocation for 2004 to €1,050,000. No further requests for increased funding were received in 2004 from Kildare County Council.

A combined capital allocation of €70 million has been provided for the payment of disabled persons and essential repairs grants in 2005. Allocations, which will be notified to local authorities shortly, will be based on their requirements as notified to my Department.