Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the levels of funding he has provided to each local authority for grants in respect of adaptations or extensions to private housing under the housing adaptation grant schemes for older people and people with a disability, and the mobility aids grant scheme for each of the past five years; and if this funding has matched the level of need. [25107/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's involvement with the Housing Adaptation Grant schemes for Older People and People with a Disability relates primarily to the recoupment of a proportion of local authority expenditure on the payment of individual grants. These schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department, together with 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. In the case of the old Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs grant schemes these are funded by 67% recoupment, together with a 33% contribution from the resources of the local authority. The detailed administration of these schemes, including the assessment and approval of individual applications, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority.

The annual allocations to local authorities under the schemes are calculated on foot of detailed discussion between my Department and the local authorities and on the basis of a number of criteria, including the level of applications on hand that have been assessed as eligible, applications yet to be assessed and projections for new applications to be received during the year. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed towards each of the individual 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 their allocation.

Details of Exchequer funding provided to local authorities for these schemes for each of the years 2005 to 2008 and total allocations for 2009 from Exchequer and local authority sources are set out in the following table. Data for 2005 and 2006 relate to the Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants. Data for 2007 onwards also includes the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, as well as the Mobility Aids Grant scheme.

Question No. 52 answered with Question No. 33.

Question No. 53 answered with Question No. 35.