Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 577: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his Department's approach and policy in respect of applications that were already on hand for the old disabled person's grant, essential repairs grant and housing aid for the elderly grant schemes in various Health Service Executive and local authority offices around the country that had not yet been dealt with or approved arising from the introduction of the revised housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability; if applicants will be required to fill in new applications based on the new grant scheme or if the old applications to the old schemes will continue to be processed in 2008 and in future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23750/07]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 589: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the changes in policy, criteria and conditions that are shortly to be implemented by local authorities in respect of the disabled person's grant scheme and the essential repairs grant scheme; if the new arrangements will involve a means test for applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23897/07]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 577 and 589 together.

Details of the revised housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability were announced earlier this year as part of the Government's new housing policy statement Delivering Homes, Sustaining Communities. Three new schemes are to be introduced, a Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, a Mobility Aids Grant Scheme, and a scheme of Housing Aid for Older People.

The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability will assist in the provision/adaptation of accommodation to meet the needs of people with a disability. The grant will be increased from the current effective maximum of €20,320 to a maximum of €30,000, which may cover up to 95% of the cost of works. Prioritisation of eligibility will be on the basis of medical and financial need with 95% of the approved cost of work available to those with annual household incomes of less than €30,000, tapering to 30% for those with annual household incomes of €54,001 to €65,000.

The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme will provide grants to cover a basic suite of works to address mobility problems, primarily but not exclusively, associated with ageing. It will fast track grant aid to people on lower incomes (maximum annual household income threshold €30,000). The maximum grant available will be €6,000 and may cover 100% of the cost of works.

The new Housing Aid for Older People scheme will provide targeted support to improve conditions in the existing housing of older people, and amalgamates the provisions of the existing Essential Repairs and Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Schemes. The maximum grant available will be €10,500 and may cover 100% of the cost of works for applicants with an annual household income of less than €30,000, tapering to 30% for those with annual household incomes of €54,001 to €65,000.

All Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant applications received by local authorities prior to 1 November 2007 will be processed under the terms and conditions of the local authority's current Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant schemes. The Department will continue to fund two-thirds of the cost of all works processed under these schemes, with the remaining one-third contribution being funded from the revenue resources of the local authority, until all applications under the schemes have been processed. In the case of the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme, applications for grant aid will be accepted by the Health Service Executive until 31 March 2008 and these applications will be processed by the Health Service Executive under the existing terms and conditions governing the scheme.

Applicants who have applied under the existing Disabled Persons, Essential Repairs and Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Grant Schemes will not be required to submit new applications. It is, however, open to such applicants to withdraw their applications under the existing grant schemes and re-apply under the new framework of grants, which will become operational on 1 November 2007, if they so wish.