COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 08, 2008

QUESTION NO. 9

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

To ask the Manager if he will update the Reply given to Question 11 at the April 2008 Council meeting, in regard to the current position on House Refurbishment/Adaptation Grants Schemes operated by the Council for a number of categories including older persons, persons with mobility problems and householders with older housing needing rewiring, roof repairs, window replacements and central heating and if the new schemes/procedures announced some time ago by the Department of Environmenmt, Heritage and Local Government are being implemented? 

REPLY:

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government introduced the Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability, Mobility Aid Grant Scheme and the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme  with effect from 01/11/07.  These schemes replaced the Disabled Persons Grant & Essential Repairs Grant Schemes in relation to private dwellings. The Council continues to administer the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme in relation to Council dwellings.

The following is a brief summary of the revised schemes:

Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability

The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability is available to assist in the carrying out of works that are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability who is a member of the household.The types of works allowable under the scheme are varied and include the provision of access ramps,stair lifts,downstairs toilet facilities,accessible showers,adaptations to facilitate wheelchair access,extensions and any other works that are reasonably necessary for the purpose of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability.

• Grant aid of up to 95% of the cost of the works is available up to a maximum of €30,000
• Prioritisation is  on basis of Medical Need
• Means Testing will apply in determining the level of grant payable as set out in tables below

Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability

(Houses over 12 Months Old)

Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability

(Houses less than 12 Months Old)

 

Mobility Aids Housing Grant Scheme

The Mobility Aids Housing Grant Scheme is available to provide grant aid to cover a basic suite of works to address mobility problems, primarily, but not exclusively, associated with ageing, in order that recipients are not subject to delays in accessing works. 

The types of works allowable under the scheme can be varied in order to address the mobility problems of a member of the household and shall include: grab-rails,  access ramps, level access showers, stair-lifts, and any other minor works as may be necessary to facilitate the mobility needs of the applicant.

        The grant up to a maximum of €6,000 to cover 100% of the cost of works is available to those with gross annual household incomes of up to €30,000 only.

Housing Aid for Older People Scheme

This Scheme incorporates the works previously funded by the Council under the Essential Repairs Grant Scheme and from 1^st August 2008 also includes works previously grant aided by the Health Service Executive (HSE) under the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme.

The Scheme is available to assist older people (i.e. over 60 years of age) living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. 

Means testing in order to determine the amount of grant payable is calculated in accordance with the following table: 

Details on progress on implementation of the above schemes and works on the Councils own housing stock are available in the Draft Budget Book under Division A (Housing).