Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make funding available under the housing adaptation grant schemes for older persons and persons with a disability to Cork City Council; if reimbursements will be made to people who had to personally finance and carry out immediate works in 2008 when funding ran out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3016/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. Local authorities will be notified of their combined capital allocations for the operation of the Schemes in 2009, following the publication of the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2009.

In 2008, my Department made an initial combined capital allocation of €1,855,620 to Cork City Council for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability. This was supplemented by a further Exchequer allocation of €300,000 in October 2008. It is a matter for each local authority 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 light of the heightened level of demand for grant aid following the introduction of the revised framework of grants in November, housing authorities have been requested to operate the grant schemes on a prioritised basis, with particular consideration to be given to applicants requiring adaptations to facilitate discharge from hospital or alleviate the need for hospitalisation in the future, and those applicants requiring improvement works to facilitate the continuance of care in their own homes.

Under the provisions of the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability, all applicants are advised that grant aid is not available in respect of any works which are undertaken without the prior written approval of the local authority.