Mae Sexton (Longford-Roscommon, Progressive Democrats)
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Question 236: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will name the local authorities which insist on attaching claw-back provisions to disabled persons grants; the legal or statutory basis for such provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25098/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing (Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant) Regulations 2001, which came into effect on 19 December 2001, govern the operation of the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes. The administration of the disabled persons grant scheme is delegated to local authorities within the framework laid down in these regulations, which as far as is practicable, is designed to give an appropriate degree of flexibility at local level.

The majority of local authorities have reviewed their schemes over recent years in order to streamline their operation and have introduced a variety of mechanisms to ensure that the available resources are targeted to those in most need. In a number of cases, this includes a claw-back mechanism whereby the grant advanced is secured by way of a charge on the property for a certain number of years. In the event of the property being sold or otherwise transferred within that period, a certain proportion of the grant advanced would fall to be repaid to the local authority. This is intended to ensure that works, which are grant aided, serve the needs of a disabled person for a certain specified minimum period of time.

While my Department is aware that a number of local authorities implement a claw-back mechanism, it does not have detailed definitive information on a countrywide basis. The issue of claw backs has been considered further in the context of the overall review of the disabled persons grant scheme which was recently finalised. Proposals for the future operation of the scheme are being prepared in my Department and I hope to be in a position to announce these shortly.