COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, April 08, 2013
HEADED ITEM NO. 2c)
REPORT OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE MEETING (1) & (2) - Monday, 25th March, 2013
Motion No: M (10) CUTS BY THE DECLG TO THE HOUSING ADAPTION GRANTS FOR OLDER PEOPLE
The following motion was considered at the Tallaght Area Committee held on 25th March 2013:-
It was proposed by Councillor D. Looney, seconded by Councillor C. King:
“That this Committee notes with serious concern the announcement by the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government of substantial cuts to housing adaptation grants for older people and those who are disabled; that a report be provided on the uptake of these grants by those in this area in 2011 and 2012; that a preliminary report be issued on how these cuts will affect grants in the area under the remit of this committee for 2013; and that a full report on the impact of these proposed cuts be made to the April Council meeting.”
The following report by the Manager which had been circulated was READ:
“The Council operates three Housing Grant Schemes for older people and those who are disabled as follows:
· The Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for People with a Disability
· The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme
· The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme.
These grants are available in respect of owner occupied dwellings and certain rented dwellings (subject to written permission being provided by the Landlord).
Grants may be awarded under these schemes by South Dublin County Council to qualified applicants subject to the criteria set out in the regulations and associated guidance documents issued by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG).
Budgets for these grants are not allocated on an electoral area basis. However detail as requested in respect of the electoral areas of Tallaght Central and South for the combined schemes for years 2011 and 2012 is set out in the following table, as well as an outline of the expenditure on these schemes a county-wide basis:
| Year | No of Applications received from Tallaght Central and South EA | € paid | € County Wide |
| 2011 | 117 | 591,597 | 1,626,985 |
| 2012 | 129 | 825,906 | 1,952,819 |
South Dublin County Council recently received notification of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government 2013 approved allocation for these grants in the sum of €1,213,986.05. This reflects a 40% reduction (nationally) over the 2012 spend.
In correspondence received from the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government it was advised that due to the finite resources which are currently available, local authorities should ensure that funds are targeted at essential works only and that an effective and easy to understand scheme of prioritisation be put in place to ensure that applications are prioritised on the basis of the medical needs of the applicant. The three levels of medical priority advised to this Council are as follows:
1. Priority 1: Terminally ill or mainly dependent on family or a carer, or where alterations/adaptations would facilitate the discharge from hospital or alleviate hospitalisation in the future.
2. Priority 2: Mobile, but needs assistance in accessing facilities, or where, without the adaptation the disabled persons’ ability to function independently would be hindered.
3. Priorty 3: The applicant is independent, but requires special facilities to improve their quality of life, e.g. separate bedroom or living space.
To date grants to a total value of €356,343 over the 3 schemes have been paid out countywide.
As already outlined budgets for the various grant schemes are not allocated on an electoral basis. Accordingly at this point it is premature to state how this reduced allocation will affect grants in the area under the remit of this committee for 2013.”
The motion was PASSED.