John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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43. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government If there are plans to increase funding for the housing adaptation grant for council tenants who require urgent home adaptations to make their living conditions more suitable to their needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12941/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock, to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or overcrowded situations. Typical works include adaptations such as stair-lifts, level deck showers, ramps and grab rails, widening door opening widths and improving circulation spaces. Extensions to provide for ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms can also be supported.

Under the delegated sanction currently in place, the maximum cost of works in each individual case should not exceed €75,000 and my Department funds 90% of the cost of eligible works. Where the total cost of works to a property is projected to exceed €75,000 and additional funding is sought by the local authority, prior approval from my Department is required.

Funding is also made available to improve or extend privately owned housing to approved applicants for social housing as an alternative to local authority housing (Improvement Works in Lieu of social housing (IWIL’s).

My Department's approach every year, in the first instance, is to allow local authorities complete works up to 65% of the previous year’s allocation in the absence of formal approval to keep this important work going.

Following this and based on the actual need of the sector, my Department issues a single full year allocation to each local authority, so they can plan, prioritise and implement the programme to carry out the varying works necessary to meet the needs of their tenants in this year.

Local authorities can apply for additional funding for emergency cases as they arise throughout the year and furthermore, my Department will make every effort to accede to any further requests for additional funding this year.

The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation of applications is the responsibility of local authorities.