Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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268. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the housing aid for older people scheme will include grant aid to upgrade an existing heating system, particularly the central heating boiler, in view of the fact that this work is no longer grant aided by the SEAI (details supplied). [40152/18]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme provides grants of up to €8,000 to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvement works carried out. The grant eligible works include the provision of heating and any repair or improvement works which are considered reasonably necessary.

The detailed administration of these grants, including the assessment, approval and prioritisation of grants to applicants under the various measures, is the responsibility of the local authorities. In this regard local authorities prioritise applications on the basis of the medical needs of the applicant and on the urgency and necessity of the identified works. In that context, local authorities do consider heating upgrade works on a case by case basis and I understand that this has now been clarified with Cork County Council.