David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1537: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the data which is now available in relation to the overall expenditure by local authorities on the disabled persons and essential repairs grants schemes in 2005; the amount that was made available to each local authority under the schemes; the amount expended by the respective local authorities in 2005; the amount unspent by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29637/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The tabular statement gives details of the combined capital allocation for disabled persons and essential repairs grants notified to each local authority and the combined expenditure on the schemes by each local authority in 2005. In 2005 the capital allocation for these schemes was €74.5 million. Actual expenditure, notified to the Department by local authorities was €64.6 m, of which €60.2 million was spent on disabled persons and essential repairs grants for private dwellings with a further €4.4 million spent on works of adaptation to make local authority dwellings more suitable for a disabled member of the household.

The combined capital allocation to local authorities for the disabled persons and essential repairs grant schemes represents not a capital grant, but the total amount which authorities are authorised to spend on the schemes in the year in which the allocation is made. Expenditure on the grant schemes is funded by the two-thirds recoupment available from my Department together with the one-third contribution from the revenue resources of the local authority.

The final out-turn reflects the expenditure by local authorities on approved applications. The initial allocations presented the local authorities' best estimate of the likely level of grant approvals during 2005. However, some grant approvals by local authorities may not subsequently be taken up by applicants. In addition, if there are delays in applicants completing the approved works, either due to a delay in getting contractors or for other reasons, the ultimate spend may arise in later years.

Local authorities were notified in June 2005 of their combined capital allocation and were requested on a number of occasions to notify the Department if it became evident that the allocation notified was likely to be inadequate or surplus to requirements. Increased allocations were approved for a number of local authorities. The Department stressed the need to ensure that, in the light of the high level of demand for these grants, the available allocation is expended in full and to ensure that the level of their approvals was such that would facilitate expenditure of the full allocation.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1538: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount made available to each city and county council under the Local Improvement Scheme each year since 2000 to date; the amount that has been returned unspent from each of the local authorities concerned; his plans for the coming year with regard to funding under this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29741/06]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Grant allocations are made to county councils each year under the Local Improvements Scheme. Details of allocations for each of the years 2000 to 2006 and grants claimed by and paid to councils for each of the years 2000 to 2005 are set out in the following Table. I intend to announce the 2007 Local Improvements Scheme allocations early in the New Year.