Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 97: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the new revised housing adaptation scheme for adapting houses for people with disabilities is still inadequate as it does not provide 100% funding to owner-occupiers affecting low-income households greatly and that the 5% funding shortfall and the maximum grant of €30,000 will often not cover the cost of works which often produces problems due to the well documented links between poverty and disability. [28622/07]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability is intended to assist with works which provide additional or adapted accommodation in private houses. The scheme is not designed to cover the full cost of works for all applicants. However, local authorities may provide reconstruction loans to qualified applicants who have difficulty in obtaining finance to meet the balance of the cost.

Significant improvements have been made to the terms and conditions of the adaptation grant scheme for people with a disability in recent years. In 2001, the percentage of works covered by the grant was increased from two-thirds to 90%. Under the revised scheme the Housing Adaptation Grant has been further improved and may now cover up to 95% of the approved cost of works. The maximum grant available under the new scheme has been increased from €20,320 to €30,000. Furthermore the grant level will increase annually in line with the building cost index, thus protecting its value into the future.