COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 12, 2009

MOTION  NO. 20

MOTION:Councillor W. Lavelle

That this Council calls on the government to ensure that sufficient funding is guaranteed to cover house improvement grants,including Grants for Older People,Mobility Grants and Disability Grants for the remainder of 2009 and into 2010.Any cutbacks in these grant schemes will result in many of our older residents and those with mobility difficulties losing the opportunity to continue using their own home.It will take away their independence and attack their dignity

REPORT:

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. Funding for the new grants is comprised of  80% of total expenditure provided by the Department and 20% of total expenditure provided from the Council's own resources. The total combined approved expenditure for grants for alterations  and adaptations to private homes by the Department for 2009 is €4,545,000. Included in this figure was a provision for €640,000 in respect of old applications under the now discontinued Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs Grants Schemes. Under those schemes, the Council is required to provide for one third of the total expenditure from its own resources. 

The Council has approved 187 Housing Adaptation Grants, 20 Mobility Aid Grants and 83 Housing Aid for Older People Grants to date in 2009.  The total value of those applications which have received agreement in principle, i.e. those applications which have received managerial approval, is approximately €528,000. The Council is prioritising these applications and on the basis of current budgetary provision, sufficient funding should in the main be available within the 2009 budget with any balance being funded from the 2010 allocation. The Council's 2009 allocation has been spent or committed at this time.In addition to those applications which have received approval, the Council currently has 239 Housing Adaptation Grant applications, 11 Mobility Aids Grant applications and 76 Housing Aid for Older People Grant applications on hand which are at various stages of processing. These applications will be assessed in accordance with the guidelines set out by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding prioritisation.

The level of grant funding  available to the Council for 2010 is unlikely to be approved by the Department of the Environment,Heritage and Local Government and notification issued to the Council until early 2010. However in the interim if the motion is passed the sentiments of the members will be conveyed to the Minister for the Environment Heritage & Local Government