Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 134: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount of funding provided by his Department to each local authority for each year between 2002 and 2006 inclusive, for the installation of central heating in their housing stock. [42463/06]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 534: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department will initiate a scheme or provide funding for the provision of central heating for senior citizens residing alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42814/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 534 together.

My Department introduced a programme in July 2004 for the installation of central heating in existing local authority rented dwellings with priority given to houses occupied by elderly people. Grants totalling some €42 million were paid to local authorities by my Department in 2004 and 2005. Capital allocations of almost €32 million were notified to local authorities for 2006. The following table gives a breakdown of the funding provided and allocated by local authority under the Central Heating Programme.

Prior to this initiative, my Department has required since 1994 that central heating be provided during construction in new local authority dwellings and included in the overall cost of schemes. Where capital funding is provided under regeneration and remedial programmes operated by my Department for upgrading of local authority dwellings, the provision of central heating may form part of the work undertaken.

More generally, the management, maintenance and improvement of their rented dwellings, including the installation of central heating is, in general, the responsibility of local authorities to be financed from their own resources. The present initiative is an important enhancement of local authorities' own measures and will lead to the continued upgrading of the local authority housing stock.

Funding may also be available from my Department for senior citizens for the provision of heating systems under the Improvements Works in Lieu Scheme, Disabled Persons Grant Scheme and Essential Repairs Grant Scheme.