Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 486: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the amount, in relation to the €79.5 million allocated in 2009 to local authorities for grants in respect of older people and people with disability to private house grants, which has been drawn down by each local authority to date in 2009; the latest estimate from each local authority regarding the amount expected to be drawn down in 2009; if amounts have been transferred to other local authorities; if so, the details of same; the local authorities which are accepting applications for this scheme; the number of local authorities which have notified him of the closure of the scheme; if the differing rules or conditions being imposed by local authorities fall under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36761/09]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 502: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the early reintroduction of disabled persons grants, which have been suspended by the various local authorities due to lack of funds, features in the Revised Programme for Government; if the need to restore such funding has been recognised as a priority having particular regard to meeting the requirements of the elderly or people with disabilities who might find themselves capable of providing home based accommodation instead of costly institutional care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37164/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 502 together.

Allocations totalling €79.562 million for 2009 were notified to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grant for Older People and People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme and the older Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grant Schemes on 7 May 2009. While my Department has not been formally advised of any local authorities having discontinued the schemes in their areas, they are very heavily subscribed and available funding has been heavily committed in many areas. Having regard to this, and the continued priority which the Government attaches to the schemes, and following an evaluation of the ongoing level of demand for grants, the level of expenditure to date and the capacity of local authorities to process and approve additional applications in the current year, I approved a supplementary allocation of approximately €12.5 million to some 26 local authorities on 12 October, 2009.

Over the period 1 January 2009 to 30 September 2009, a total of €48.214 million has been recouped by my Department to local authorities in respect of the Exchequer contribution towards some 7,760 individual grant payments under the various grant measures.

A detailed breakdown, by local authority, of the initial and supplementary allocations for 2009, the number of grant payments and the amount recouped is set out in the table.

* Overall allocations combining the Exchequer contribution and co-funding provided by local authorities

** Payments are in respect of the Exchequer contribution only

The suite of Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability are administered by the local authorities and all matters relating to compliance with the terms and conditions of the schemes, the processing and approval of applications and the payment of grants to individual applicants are the responsibility of the relevant local authority. Local authorities have discretion in determining the eligibility of works or adaptations for grant assistance, having regard to the particular needs of individual applicants. In order to ensure that the available funding is spent as effectively as possible, local authorities are asked to target the grant assistance at essential works and to prioritise applications on the basis of the medical needs of applicants.

My Department continually monitors expenditure by local authorities under the schemes with a view to reallocating the available funding in the event of any savings arising in a particular local authority.