Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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278. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if it will be ensured that the 2020 funding process is factored into an increased allocation in 2021 for the disabled person grant funding scheme for the local authorities (details supplied). [8274/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department provides funding on an annual basis under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme to local authorities for adaptations and extensions to their existing social housing stock to meet the needs of local authority tenants. Funding in this regard has been increasing year on year to support this scheme.

It was acknowledged that some local authorities had contractual commitments during last year’s allocation process, therefore, contingency was built into the allocations in 2020 of €2.5m. This was included to ensure local authorities were not placed in a difficult financial situation and it was left open for them to apply for additional funding in respect of contractual commitments.

A number of local authorities availed of these additional supports and DPG funding for 2020 was fully exhausted.

It is envisaged that a similar approach will be taken this year. My Department will be contacting local authorities in the coming weeks to identify commitments carried forward from 2020 so that these works can be considered as part of the 2021 funding process and an appropriate allocation provided. It is a matter for each local authority to prioritise the works required under the scheme in the context of available funding and in line with the terms of the DPG scheme.