John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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239. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to increase the housing adaptation grants as requested in a recent submission by the Irish Wheelchair Association; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28531/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The funding for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability was increased in 2016 by some 10%, to an overall funding availability of €56.25m nationally. Some 7,600 households benefitted under this Scheme in 2015, and with the additional funding, this should increase to 8,000 in 2016.

While the Irish Wheelchair Association has proposed an increase in the Housing Adaption Grant upper level from €30,000 to €60,000, I do not propose to accept this proposal. The average individual amount paid under these grants is already lower than the €30,000 upper level and the current arrangement, therefore, serves to spread the benefits of the available funding to a higher number of recipients.

I am conscious of the social benefit accruing from this scheme in terms of facilitating the continued independent living by older people and people with a disability in their own homes. Further consideration will be given to increasing this funding over the coming years in the context of Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.