Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 560: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the level of funding that will issue to the Health Service Executive in south Tipperary for the special housing aid for the elderly scheme. [7507/07]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The special housing aid for the elderly scheme is currently administered by a Task Force under the aegis of my Department and operated at a local level by the Health Service Executive.

In 2006 a total of €22.012 million was allocated to the Health Service Executive for the operation of this scheme nationally. Of this €4.8 million was allocated to the southern HSE region, which includes South Tipperary. It is a matter for the HSE to apportion funding within regions.

The allocations for 2007 will be determined in the light of the existing level of commitments within HSE regions and the roll out, later this year, of new grant schemes for older people and people with a disability including the Mobility Aids Grants Scheme, the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability and the Scheme of Housing Aid for Older People as announced in the Government statement on housing policy Delivering Homes-Sustaining Communities.

The new schemes will be administered by the local authorities and will be more streamlined with greater targeting of those most in need.