Written answers

Tuesday, 3 October 2006

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Housing Grants

9:00 pm

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 514: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there are grants available for a person to build a "granny" flat onto the family home to house an elderly family member; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30573/06]

Photo of Noel AhernNoel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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There are no specific grants available from my Department for the building of granny flats onto family homes. There are, however, a number of schemes available, which are intended to assist with works, which provide additional or adapted accommodation in private houses.

The Disabled Persons Grant, which is administered by the local authorities, is available for the provision of additional accommodation or the carrying out of works of adaptation, which are necessary to make a house more suitable for a disabled member of the household. The scheme is increasingly used to address the age related mobility issues of older persons. The types of work allowable under the scheme are the provision of access ramps, downstairs toilet facilities, stairlifts, accessible showers, adaptations to facilitate wheelchair access, extensions etc.

The essential repairs grant, which is administered by the local authorities, enables people in houses, which cannot be made habitable in all respects at a reasonable cost, to have basic repairs carried out to them. The scheme is directed primarily at older persons and is intended to facilitate having those conditions improved sufficiently to allow them to remain in their homes for their lifetime and to avoid having to move to a different area or to be rehoused by the local authority.

The Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme operates under the aegis of my Department and is administered by Health Service Executives. Aid is available under the scheme for necessary repairs to make a dwelling habitable for the lifetime of the occupant. Works generally extend to the repair or replacement of external doors and windows, gutters, replacement of missing or loose roof tiles, dry lining/damp proofing of rooms, such as a bedroom or living room persistently in use, replacement of defective electrical wiring, repair of fireplaces and, where required, the provision of presses or shelves for the storing of food or clothing. A suitable form of heating may also be installed e.g. storage heating.

The Improvement Works in Lieu Scheme enables local authorities to improve or extend a privately owned house, which is or will be occupied by persons in need of local authority housing. The types of works allowable are the elimination of defects and the provision of additional accommodation to eliminate overcrowding or to accommodate a person not residing in the house who is approved for local authority housing.

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