Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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448. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which Wicklow County Council will receive 2014 funding for housing adaptation grants, for works completed to date, works in progress and to facilitate priority 1 category cases, terminally ill or mainly dependent on family or carer where alternations-adaptations which would facilitate the discharge from hospital or alleviate hospitalisation in the future, who have already been assessed as having an urgent medical need for housing adaptations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17960/14]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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449. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the date on which Wicklow County Council will receive 2014 funding allocation for housing adaptation grants in order for a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow who is suffering from progressive motor neuron disease, to remain in their home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17961/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 and 449 together .

On 16 January 2014, I announced details of the capital allocations under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability . The schemes are funded by 80% recoupments available from my Department together with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority . Every local authority received increased funding for grants compared to the 2013 allocations.

The allocation to Wicklow County Council under the grant schemes for 2014 is €753,799 of which €150,760 is to be provided from the Council’s own resources. The detailed administration of the schemes , including the assessment, approval and payment of grants to applicants , is the responsibility of the local authority .

In the case of local authority owned properties, funding is allocated each year in respect of a range of measures to improve the standard and overall quality of their social housing stock, including the regeneration of large social housing estates and flat complexes, estate-wide remedial works schemes and a range of retrofitting works aimed at improving the fabric and energy efficiency of the properties. The management and maintenance of the social housing stock, including the compilation and funding of on-going maintenance programme and minor adaptation works, is a matter for individual authorities.

Local authorities were advised earlier this year that funding for adaptations and extensions would be considered on a case by case basis. Authorities should, as far as possible, undertake and fund these works from own resources, including from Internal Capital Receipts (ICR’s) before seeking Exchequer funding. My Department will shortly request local authorities to report on their ICR-funded housing improvement works programme for 2014. Requests for funding for adaptations and extensions to properties will be considered in the light of the returns received in this regard.