Written answers
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government
Housing Grants
11:00 pm
Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Question 1411: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will list the entitlements that are available to blind citizens who wish to develop independent living facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32189/10]
Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Under the terms of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability grants of up to €30,000, which may cover up to 95% of the cost, are available to assist people with a disability to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs and to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes.
My Department's involvement with the scheme relates primarily to the recoupment of 80% of local authority expenditure on the payment of the grant. The detailed administration of the scheme, including the assessment and approval of applications and the payment of grants to individual applicants, is the responsibility of the local authority concerned.
Comments
Tony Lowes
Posted on 1 Oct 2010 10:18 pm (Report this comment)
The following table sets out the names of these EDs???
Gary Dubh
Posted on 2 Oct 2010 11:14 pm (Report this comment)
A Loctaion based code uses coordinates - what the Minister is proposing is a traditional postcode - i.e. a database with addresses and related codes. Refining it to be a "Location based code" - is not a reality - by adding a lot of extra characters it can add a code to very property but which property and where it is would not be known as 40% of properties do not have unique id's?
The Minister is getting confused on issues relating to "Location Based" matters. Perhaps he should consult with home grown experts on such matters - a company used by many other state agencies - GPS Ireland Consultants Ltd in Cork - www.gpsireland.ie - they would be able to clarify matters relating to position and Location.
Robert Northall
Posted on 3 Oct 2010 11:58 am (Report this comment)
"Justice must be done even though the heavens fail" Fergus speeks with turth and integrity!
John Handelaar
Posted on 5 Oct 2010 10:25 am (Report this comment)
Quite right, that man. Oireachtas data error, now being fixed.
Tony Lowes
Posted on 1 Oct 2010 5:49 pm (Report this comment)
Under Question 1506 the Minister says he can do nothing about the EPA allowing operators to continue work while their application for a licence is considered because he is precluded 'from exercising any power or control in relation to the performance by the EPA of its licensing functions in specific cases.'
In question 1520 he details the Review his Department is conduction of the EPA. Surely if he can conduct a Review he IS capable of stopping the EPA practice through a general instruction, rather than ducking this one on the grounds that he can't interfere in the specific cases. (It can take the EPA up to 6 years from application to grant, while operators are without specific regulation.)
This is particularly nasty (clever) example of how to avoid a question - the question was in fact submitted in general terms but the Deputy received a request for what cases were involved. One was supplied, enabling the Minister to add (details supplied) to the PQ and then refuse the question on the grounds that it was asked about a specific case.
tony@friendsoftheirishenvironment.org