Restoring housing adaptation grant funding to 2011 levels.

​QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Housing; Planning and Local Government the estimated first and full year cost of increasing the housing adaptation grant funding to 2011 levels.

REPLY



I recently announced total funding of €66.25m for the Housing Adaptation Grants schemes for Older People and People with a Disability in 2018. This is made up of €53m exchequer funding, which is an increase of some 11% on the 2017 figure, with the balance of €13.25m coming from local authority resources.  Increasing funding for next year to 2011 levels would cost an additional €13.21m, made up of €10.63m from the Exchequer, with a further €2.58m to be contributed by the local authorities. 

I am conscious of the social benefit accruing from the schemes, particularly in terms of facilitating the continued independent living by older people and people with a disability in their own homes.  This is recognised in the Programme for Government and as a consequence, funding has been increasing year on year since 2014.  Further consideration will be given to increasing funding over the coming years in the context of the range of housing supports and provision being made under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.