COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, January 14, 2013

QUESTION NO. 12

QUESTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

To ask the Manager to give an update on what works it funds through the Essential Repairs for Older People Scheme and does the Council’s Scheme cover central heating systems repair/upgrading & window replacement?

REPLY:

The Scheme of Housing Aid for Older People is available to assist older people (i.e. over 60 years of age) living in poor housing conditions to have essential repairs or improvements carried out to their houses in order that they can continue to live there.

The scheme is means tested and is not designed to fund improvements to houses themselves but rather to enable the older person to continue to live in the house for their lives. South Dublin County Council has focused on providing grants for re-wiring and re-roofing type works under this scheme. Works such as window replacement and heating repairs can be considered but only if essential to enable the applicant to continue to live in the house and therefore each application will be considered on a case by case basis.

The Scheme is 80% funded by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and 20% from the Council’s Internal Capital Resources and the Council approved 46 applications under the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme in 2012, in the sum of €195,293.

While the Council will examine any application for works under the Scheme on its own merits, regard must be had to the limited resources available to the Council, and cognizance must be taken of the level of grant award available (maximum €10,500 and tapering to €3,150) which may not cover works of a substantive nature.

This is a link to the conditions attaching to the Scheme of Housing Aid for Older People:

http://www.sdcc.ie/sites/default/files/form/grants-application-form-hop1.doc