Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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526. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the funding allocated to local authorities for the mobility scheme for council tenants in 2017 in tabular form; his plans to increase funding in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40151/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Disabled Persons Grant Scheme provides funding for adaptations to existing social housing stock such as grab rails, disabled access ramps, wet rooms, etc. The Scheme also provides for extensions in cases of overcrowding.  On top of the exchequer funding amounts, the local authority makes a further 10% contribution in respect of these grants. The detailed administration of these grants, including the assessment, approval and prioritisation of applications is the responsibility of the local authorities.  

In order to ensure that there were no delays for priority and urgent cases, all local authorities were advised on 24 March 2017 that they could undertake works of up to 65% of their 2016 allocation in advance of the full 2017 allocation being determined. This was to allow local authorities to plan and progress works under the scheme and allow for the maximum use of the 2017 allocation throughout the year. My Department recently advised local authorities of their full 2017 DPG allocations, which are set out in the Table.

I am conscious of the social benefit accruing from the Scheme and consideration will be given to the level of funding in 2018 in the context of budgetary provision in due course.

Table: 2017 DPG Allocations

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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527. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to reintroduce the improvement works loan scheme in lieu of rehousing; the timeframe for the scheme to start; the amount of funding that will be provided for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40168/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Improvement Works in lieu of Local Authority Housing (IWIL’s) scheme provides funding to 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. 

Funding for IWIL’s has not been discontinued and is available to all local authorities. IWIL’s are administered under the Disabled Persons Grant scheme and it is a matter for each local authority to prioritise their spending in this regard.

My Department advised all local authorities of the full 2017 DPG allocations on 12 September 2017. €12m has been provided for the scheme in 2017, with a further €1.33m provided by the local authorities.