Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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193. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will increase the funding that his Department makes available to local authorities for the housing adaptation grant; his views on the way in which the level of funding is continually excluding many persons from getting work done; his views on the way Tipperary County Council’s budget for 2021 is already fully allocated; his views on the fact that as a result, Tipperary County Council is now processing cases that will come out of the 2022 allocation; his further views on the fact that only priority 1 cases are being considered in this regard; his plans to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36894/21]

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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194. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the way the underfunding of the housing adaptation grant results in families being unable to get sensory rooms fitted out; his further views on the fact that when families apply for this funding from Tipperary County Council that the money allocated has been spent; his views on the impact that his is having on persons with disabilities; and if he will consider requesting an increase in funding for the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability. [36895/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.

My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, to assist people in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People, which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of local authorities. Local authorities receive an overall allocation, with the responsibility for the apportionment between the three schemes being a matter for each authority given their knowledge of local need.

My Department's approach each year is to issue a single full year allocation to each local authority, so they can plan and implement the grants programme. Over the course of the year, my Department works closely with the local authorities to monitor spend and to achieve a full drawdown of the available funding. This means that if underspends arise on the part of some local authorities, they can be redistributed to other authorities which have high levels of grant activity. My Department will give due consideration to any request received from Tipperary County Council for additional Exchequer funding in this regard.

My Department recommends that all valid applications should be processed within 6 weeks from the date of submission. However, in the event of a backlog, local authorities should prioritise applications on the basis of the medical needs of the applicant. Tipperary County Council has advised my Department that it is currently dealing with a backlog of applications. Officials from my Department have engaged with the Council and have emphasised that the Scheme must be open to all applicants and ensure that they are dealt with in accordance with Departmental guidelines.

The schemes are means tested and operate on a sliding scale with the highest percentage grants available to those with the lowest incomes and vice versa. Grant assistance is not available to applicants whose household income, after disregards and deductions, exceeds €60,000 per annum. Local authorities must adhere to the income thresholds set down by the regulations, so that the funding is focused on those households who need it most. In administering the schemes, local authorities should always work with qualifying applicants to ensure they get the most beneficial outcome possible in line with their financial circumstances. My Department will commence a review this year of the means test criteria and maximum grant limits applicable to the housing adaptation grants.

Separately, grant aid may be considered for the provision of infrastructural and safety related adaptations to create appropriate space for applicants with specific sensory needs. Applications of this nature should be supported by a multidisciplinary assessment of the applicant by specialist healthcare professionals. This should outline who will be responsible for therapy services and/or the provision and upkeep of sensory related equipment. The scheme does not fund the provision of sensory equipment.

Funding of €75 million is available nationally in 2021 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. This funding has increased year on year since 2014. As part of the annual budgetary process, consideration will be given to increasing this funding in future years in line with the Programme for Government commitments and the Policy Statement on Housing Options for Our Ageing Population, which is available on my Department's website at the following link: