Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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54. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will encourage local authorities to allocate funds to home improvement loans for local authority tenants with particular reference to the example of home extensions being able to contribute to reducing the housing waiting lists and combat overcrowding in some instances. [28429/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Improvement Works in Lieu (IWILs) scheme allows local authorities to improve or extend privately-owned accommodation, which is occupied or intended to be occupied by an applicant approved for social housing, as an alternative to the provision of social housing. Expenditure by a local authority on improvement/extension works is regarded as an interest free loan secured by a charge on the house. The beneficiary under the scheme is required to make repayments based on his/her ability to pay and the repayments are calculated on the basis of the amount of the loan and the authority’s current differential rent scheme. The administration of the scheme, including the assessment of applications, is a matter for the local authority.

Local authorities who require this funding submit their requests annually as part of their funding requirements under the Disabled Person grant scheme. Only 4 local authorities requested specific IWILs funding in 2016.

The Disabled Person Grant scheme provides funding to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to the existing social housing stock to meet needs of elderly local authority tenants or those with a disability.  It also allows for the provision of extensions where needed to address over-crowding (for families who outgrow their current dwelling). Funding of €13,374,473 has been allocated to the 31 local authorities this year under the combined Disabled Person Grant/Extensions/IWILs scheme.