Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 321: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the estimated cost of the disabled persons building grant in 2007; the annual cost of increasing it to €30,000; the proportion of building work costs covered by the disabled persons housing grant; the estimated annual cost of increasing the disabled persons housing grant to cover 100% of actual building work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43026/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Estimates for the 2007 housing programme are set out in the Abridged Estimates Volume, which was recently published. Details in relation to disabled persons, essential repairs and improvement grants will be published as part of the Revised Estimates for the Public Service early in 2007.

My Department does not have detailed estimates available of the costs associated with an increase in the allowable maximum grant under the disabled persons grant scheme to €30,000 or the cost of increasing the grant to cover 100% of the cost of works. Factors such as the demand led nature of the scheme, the number and value of grants paid in any one year, differences in buildings costs across the country, the percentage of grant paid by each local authority and the percentage of the work covered by the current maximum grant in individual cases, would have significant impact on the calculation of these estimates.

Under the terms of the scheme, the maximum grant of €20,320 can cover up to 90% of the cost of the works to private houses. The grant may cover the full cost of the works to local authority dwellings.

A review of the Disabled Persons Grant scheme, which incorporates the conditions governing the Essential Repairs Grant scheme and the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme, was recently finalised within my Department. Proposals for the future operation of the schemes are being prepared and are expected to be announced early next year.