Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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166. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any funding available to renovate houses that are over 150 years old which are not listed and have not been subject to any preservation orders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10196/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Under the terms of the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, grants are available to assist households to have necessary repairs, adaptations or improvement works carried out in order to meet the accommodation needs of an older person or a person with a disability. The suite of grants include three separate grant measures; the Mobility Aids Grant scheme with grants of up to €6,000, the Housing Aid for Older People scheme with grants of up to €8,000 and the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability with grants of up to €30,000, depending on household income. The schemes are ad ministered by the local authorities and it is a matter for each local authority to determine the extent of the grant-eligible works, the amount of grant aid to be paid in individual cases and how applications are prioritised.

Under my Department’s renewal or repair of thatched roof grant scheme, a grant of up to €3,810, or two thirds of the approved cost, whichever is the lesser, may be payable in respect of necessary works to renew or repair the thatched roofs of houses. A higher grant of up to €5,714 may be payable where the house is situated on certain specified islands off the West and South coasts. In the case of medical card holders, a grant of up to €6,350, or up to 80% of the approved cost, may be payable in respect of houses situated on the mainland, rising to €8,252 where the house is situated on a specified off-shore island. Outside of the grant schemes mentioned, there is no further assistance provided to householders by my Department.