Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the apparent difference on emphasis between the answer given by him on 12 April 2005 and the circular issued by his Department to local authorities regarding heating being provided to the elderly under the disabled person's grant and essential repairs grant. [26095/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As indicated in reply to Parliamentary Question No. 1058 of 12 April 2005, the provision of appropriate heating systems is eligible for funding under both the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes. Decisions on the type and extent of work which may be grant aided in individual cases are matters for the local authority administering these schemes in their functional areas.

My Department's circular letter HGS 4/01 of December 2001 makes it clear that local authorities may assist the provision of heating under the disabled persons grant scheme in a range of possible circumstances as follows: where central heating is already installed in an existing house, the cost of extending that system to any new accommodation provided would qualify for grant purposes; where an existing house has no central heating, electric storage heaters or other arrangements can serve the new accommodation, although it may occur that a central heating system is being installed in the whole house in conjunction with the provision of the additional accommodation for the disabled person — in such cases the cost of the heating system may be apportioned and the proportional amount for installing the heating in the accommodation for the disabled person may be covered by the grant; in the case of an application for a disabled persons grant solely in respect of the provision of a central heating system, authorities should exercise appropriate discretion taking into account the nature of the disability.

The circular makes it clear that the payment of a grant in respect of such works should only occur in exceptional circumstances. It would be a matter for the local authority to determine the precise interpretation of the exceptional circumstances provision. In such cases it would be for authorities to determine the eligibility of each application on its merits and, where acceptable medical evidence supports the necessity for the provision of appropriate heating facilities, they may assist in the provision of such facilities in accordance with the terms of the disabled persons grant scheme in their area. In relation to the essential repairs grant scheme, the circular states that the statutory regulations do not specify what works qualify for grant and that it is a matter for the local authority to assess the circumstances of each individual case and decide what works are necessary to prolong the useful life of the house for the occupants.