Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she is committed to the provision of sheltered housing as an option for older people to remain living in their community despite her Department providing only €928,000 in 2006 for housing associations for the care aspects in sheltered housing; her views on whether this was inadequate to meet the demand of non-profit sheltered housing providers who require the necessary funding to ensure a proper standard of support and care in sheltered housing projects for older people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42299/06]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the question relates specifically to funding to the Irish Council for Social Housing. Operational responsibility for the management and delivery of health and personal social services was assigned to the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004 and funding for all health services has been provided as part of its overall vote. Therefore, the Executive is the appropriate body to consider the particular funding issue raised by the Deputy. My Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have the matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy.

Sheltered housing can play a significant role in allowing older people to remain in their own community. There is potential to expand sheltered housing provision in Ireland, and it is one of the issues to be explored arising from the work of the Long Term Care Group.