Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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378. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there is a plan in place to address the backlog of housing adaptation grant, housing aid for older persons grant and mobility aids grant applications that have accumulated while pandemic restrictions have limited local authorities' ability to process them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42848/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding to local authorities 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 detailed administration of the grants including their assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of the local authorities.

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.

The receipt and processing of housing grant applications can and has continued throughout the pandemic and the carrying out of such works was specifically exempted from the construction restrictions under the public health regulations which were put in place. It is accepted however that the pace has been affected by the effects of wider restrictions and revised work methodologies necessary in response to the pandemic. Inevitably this has led to a backlog of applications in some local authorities. Officials from my Department are engaging with local authorities and emphasising the importance of urgently reducing any existing backlog through the provision of additional resources and ensuring that all applications are dealt with in accordance with Departmental guidelines.