Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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551. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware that responsibility for delivering objective 3.2 of the national positive ageing strategy, relating to the development of alternative housing options that meets the needs of older persons, is assigned to his Department; the progress he has made in delivering this objective; the work completed to date; the contact there has been with other State bodies in seeking to achieve this objective; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40049/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My Department is working across a number of fronts in regard to our responsibility for the objective set out in the National Positive Ageing Strategyof facilitating older people to live in well-maintained, affordable, safe and secure homes, which are suitable to their physical and social needs.

The provision of social housing to meet the accommodation needs of older people, and other people with specific categories of need, is a particular focus of my Department and is funded for the most part under the Capital Assistance Scheme. Projects are implemented by approved housing bodies working with local authorities and funding of up to 100% of costs can be provided. This year alone, I have approved new projects to the value of over €151 million under the Capital Assistance Scheme. In addition, my Department supports local authorities in the development and improvement of specific accommodation that the authorities themselves provide for older persons.

My Department also provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist households to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out in order to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes. The grants are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of each local authority. The Housing Aid for Older People Schemeprovides grants of up to €8,000 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. The Mobility Aids Grant 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.

I am aware of the social benefit accruing from the Housing Adaptation grant schemes in terms of facilitating the continued independent occupancy of their own homes by older people and people with a disability. For that reason, I increased the funding available in 2015 to €50.5 million, an increase of some 10% on last year, enabling local authorities to deliver increased services to their citizens. I expect that some 8,000 households will benefit under the schemes this year.

My Department also oversees the housing needs analysis undertaken by local authorities to capture the social housing requirements of older citizens. Current housing legislation requires local authorities to classify any specific accommodation requirements of a qualified household where one or more household member is aged 65 years or more. This information is collated as part of the statutory summary of social housing assessments.

My Department is also responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities. The Scheme provides funding for the purchase and installation of personal monitored alarms to enable older persons, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The scheme is administered by local community and voluntary groups with the support of Pobal.

Part M of the Building Regulationsaims to foster an inclusive approach to the design and construction of the built environment. The requirements of Part M (M1 - M4) aim to ensure that regardless of age, size or disability:

(a) new buildings other than dwellings are accessible and usable;

(b) extensions to existing buildings other than dwellings are where practicable, accessible and useable;

(c) material alterations to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings where practicable;

(d) certain changes of use to existing buildings other than dwellings increase the accessibility and usability of existing buildings where practicable; and

(e) new dwellings are visitable.

These requirements underpin the principle of Universal Design, which is defined in the Disability Act 2005 as “the design and composition of an environment so that it may be accessed, understood and used to the greatest practicable extent, in the most independent and natural manner possible, in the widest possible range of situations and without the need for adaptation, modification, assistive devices or specialised solutions, by persons of any age or size or having any particular physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual ability or disability”.

My Department has ongoing contact with other Departments and State bodies in regard to the areas outlined above, including with the Department of Health as lead Department in respect of the National Positive Ageing Strategy. Contact with local authorities in relation to the implementation of these actions is also a continuous feature of my Department's work, in particular in relation to the provision of new sheltered housing for older people and the carrying out of improvement works to facilitate the continued independent occupancy of their homes by older people.