Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 356: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the moneys allocated by his Department to Meath County Council in 2009, 2010 and 2011 under the housing aid for older people scheme, the housing aid for people with a disability scheme and the mobility aid scheme; and if the moneys allocated were to be used to fund grants in the year of the allocations or if the allocations could be used for past liabilities of Meath County Council incurred in previous years. [21215/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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The suite of Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a disability are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. It is a matter for each local authority to decide on the specific level of funding to be directed to each of the various grant measures, and to manage the operation of the schemes in their areas from within their allocation.

In order to provide for continuity in the processing of applications and the payment of grants under the various grant measures, local authorities are advised by my Department that they may commit up to 50% of current year allocation in respect of grant payments falling due in the following year. Allocations to local authorities in any given year are intended to meet expenditure arising in respect of grants approved in previous years as well expenditure relating to applications on hand and any new applications received in the course of the year. All grant payments made are in respect of valid claims for works completed.

Details of Exchequer funding provided to Meath County Council for the grant schemes for the years 2009, 2010 and for 2011 are set out in the following table:

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 357: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the guidelines that are in place for the allocation of the housing aid for older people, housing aid for people with a disability and the mobility aid schemes with respect to matching funding from local authorities. [21216/11]

Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has requested local authorities to stop accepting new housing grant applications. [21217/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 357 and 358 together.

The Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability) Regulations, 2007, make legal provision for a framework of grant aid to assist households with the provision or adaptation of accommodation to meet the needs of people with a disability, adaptations to address mobility problems and for necessary improvements to improve the living conditions of older people. To support the implementation of the revised framework of Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes, which came into effect on 1 November 2007, my Department issued detailed administrative guidance on the operation of each of the schemes to all local authorities on 4 October 2007. The administration of the schemes, including the acceptance, assessment and approval of applications, is the responsibility of the relevant local authorities.

In accordance with the legislative provisions, the grant schemes are funded by 80% recoupment available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. The guidance specify that my Department will recoup 80% of the grant paid, up to the maximum grant levels applying to each of the three schemes, and that the authorities will provide the remaining 20% from their own resources as provided for in annual estimates of expenditure.

On 17 February 2011, my Department notified local authorities of Exchequer allocations totalling almost €64 million under the grant schemes for 2011, giving a combined allocation of almost €79.5m. To date some €18.3 million, amounting to 29% of the Exchequer funding, has been drawn down by the local authorities.

My Department has not requested local authorities to stop accepting new grant applications nor have any local authorities advised my Department of having discontinued the schemes in their areas. My Department is aware however that these schemes are very heavily subscribed and available funding has been heavily committed in many areas. My Department is also aware of the constraints on local authority own resources funding at this time and, in order to relieve the pressure on revenue funding, agreed to allow authorities to use internal capital receipts to boost the revenue funding available for supporting the grant schemes in 2011.