Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the fact that the sanctions by local authorities for housing adaptation grants for older people and people with a disability schemes have been stopped in many, if not all, local authority areas as a result of shortage of funding, he will either restore or increase the capital allocations for 2008 or alternatively relax the terms of the scheme in order that essential work done by applicants following applications and pending approval will not subsequently be excluded from the terms of the scheme. [27618/08]

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 of €71.4 million to all local authorities on 21 May for the operation of the adaptation grant 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. Furthermore, it is a matter for each local authority to prioritise applications under the schemes, within available funding, in line with the administrative guidance issued by my Department in October 2007 regarding the operation of the schemes.

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.