Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 505: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount allocated by county and by year for the mobility scheme; the amount allocated by county and by year for the housing adaptation scheme; the way the funding is allocated; and the budget for these two schemes in 2009. [39318/08]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities operate a number of grant schemes to meet the mobility needs of older people and people with a disability. The Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant Schemes were replaced by the Housing Adaptation Grant schemes for older people and people with a disability in November 2007.

Allocations under these grant schemes are calculated on an annual basis, based on each local authority's estimated requirements as notified to my Department, and on expenditure trends in recent years. It is a matter for local authorities to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed towards each of the schemes, from within the combined allocation notified to them by my Department, and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within this allocation.

In May 2008 my Department notified local authorities of a combined capital allocation of €71.4 million for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grant schemes for Older People and People with a Disability in 2008. In addition, to take account of the significantly increased levels of activity under the grants schemes experienced by local authorities in 2008, supplementary Exchequer allocations totalling €8.6 million were made in September and October.

Details of all allocations in 2007 and 2008 are set out in the following Table. In line with my objective of prioritising the needs of the most vulnerable households, the total financial provision secured for housing in 2009 will allow for the level of funding allocated towards housing supports for older people and people with a disability next year to be increased by 8% over the initial estimate for 2008.