Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 107: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there are any grants available to carry out refurbishment or repairs to old houses in rural Ireland for persons under 65 years. [8964/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which is administered by the local authorities, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. Three separate schemes are available.

Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability: This grant assists 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. Eligible works include the provision of access ramps, stair lifts, accessible toilet and shower facilities, wheelchair access and extensions. The effective maximum grant under the scheme is €30,000, which may cover up to 95% of the approved cost of works for applicants, including those in full-time employment, who have gross household incomes of up to €30,000 per annum, tapering to 30% for those with incomes of €54,001 to €65,000.

Mobility Aids Grant Scheme: This scheme is available to fast track grants of up to €6,000 to cover a basic suite of works to address the mobility problems of a member of a household. Qualifying works include the provision of stair lifts, level access showers, access ramps, grab rails and some minor adaptation works to the fabric of the house such as adaptation of downstairs room/closet to provide sanitary facilities etc. The effective maximum grant available is €6,000 and may cover 100% of the cost of works subject to a maximum annual household income threshold of €30,000.

Housing Aid for Older People Scheme: This scheme provides grants of up to €10,500 to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. Grant eligible works include structural repairs or improvements, re-wiring, repairs to or replacement of windows and doors, provision of water supply and sanitary facilities, provision of heating, cleaning, painting etc. Maximum grant available is €10,500 which may cover up to 100% of the costs of works for applicants with gross annual household incomes of less than €30,000, tapering to 30% for those with incomes of €54,001 to €65,000. The regulations governing this particular grant scheme do not specify an age qualification. In general local authorities are advised to restrict the payment of this grant to older people, i.e. those aged 60 and over. However, where in the opinion of the local authority, genuine cases of hardship exist, the authority may consider the payment of a grant to individuals who are less than 60 years of age.

The detailed administration of these schemes, including the assessment, approval and the specific level of funding to be directed to each of the various grant measures from within the allocations notified to them by my Department, is the responsibility of the relevant local authority. Grants of up to €6,350 are also available from my Department for the renewal or repair of thatched roofs of houses. Outside of these grant schemes, there is no specific grant scheme currently available from my Department for carrying out refurbishment or repairs to old houses.

The Home Energy Saving scheme, which is administered by Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI), provides grants to homeowners for improving the energy efficiency of their homes in order to reduce energy use and costs. This scheme, which falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, is open to all owners of existing homes built before 2006