Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he will provide extra funding to the local authorities in respect of housing aid for the elderly grant scheme, the housing adaptation grant and the mobility aid housing grant scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26376/08]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The administration of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability is a matter for individual local authorities.

My Department made a combined capital allocation to all local authorities on 21 May for the operation of the schemes in private houses in 2008. The schemes are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department, together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the level of funding to be provided for the schemes from within the combined allocation notified to them and to manage the operation of the schemes from within this allocation.

Requests by any local authorities for additional funding for the operation of the schemes are dealt with by my Department in the context of the reallocation of surplus resources from other authorities and, as such, allocations provided to local authorities are generally revised during the course of the year where expenditure is higher or lower than anticipated. Applications from authorities for additional funding will be considered by my Department in the light of any savings emerging later in the year in other local authority areas.