Eoghan Murphy T.D., Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, today (12 September 2017) approved funding of €12million for the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme.
In welcoming the efforts being made by Local Authorities to improve the quality of life for those with disabilities and those affected by over-crowding, Minister Murphy stated, “this will greatly improve the housing conditions for those living with disabilities and addresses issues of overcrowding in existing social housing stock, while Improvement Works in Lieu provide an alternative to social housing for approved social housing applicants currently in private accommodation.”
The Minister added, “I am very pleased today to allocate funding of €12million under this scheme. I will continue to keep the scheme under review and will consider providing further funding later in the year if the need arises.”
The Disabled Persons Grant Scheme provides funding for extensions and adaptations to existing social housing stock such as grab rails, disabled access ramps, wet rooms, etc. The scheme also provides extensions in cases of overcrowding.
The scheme also provides funding for Improvement Works in Lieu in order to improve or extend privately owned accommodation where the occupant is already approved for social housing, reducing the strain on current social housing stock.
In order to ensure that work by Local Authorities on housing adaptations and extensions on local authority stock could continue uninterrupted in 2017, all Local Authorities were informed earlier in the year that they could undertake works up to a maximum value of 65% of their 2016 allocation in advance of specific approval of the 2017 allocation. This allowed them to plan and progress works under the scheme over the full year and will facilitate the full utilisation of their 2017 allocations.
Appendix 1
2017 Disabled Person’s Grants – Final Allocations
Local Authority Department Contribution 90%
€ Local Authority Contribution
10%
€ Total
(Department and LA contribution)
€
Carlow County Council 265,707 29,523 295,230
Cavan County Council 318,338 35,371 353,709
Clare County Council 274,702 30,522 305,224
Cork City Council 613,296 68,144 681,440
Cork County 811,365 90,152 901,517
Donegal County Council 304,047 33,783 337,830
Dublin City Council 1,405,175 156,131 1,561,306
Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council 327,488 36,388 363,876
Fingal County Council 374,218 41,580 415,798
Galway City 271,108 30,123 301,231
Galway County Council 313,776 34,864 348,640
Kerry County Council 255,299 28,367 283,666
Kildare County Council 394,879 43,875 438,754
Kilkenny County Council 304,047 33,783 337,830
Laois County Council 218,405 24,267 242,672
Leitrim County Council 207,992 23,110 231,102
Limerick City and County Council 567,547 63,061 630,608
Longford County Council 244,317 27,146 271,463
Louth County Council 453,985 50,443 504,428
Mayo County Council 261,011 29,001 290,012
Meath County Council 385,664 42,852 428,516
Monaghan County Council 158269 17585 175,854
Offaly County Council 280,519 31,169 311,688
Roscommon County Council 141,671 15,741 157,412
Sligo County Council 376,212 41,801 418,013
South Dublin County Council 533,685 59,298 592,983
Tipperary County Council 411,695 45,744 457,439
Waterford City and County Council 285,756 31,751 317,507
Westmeath County Council 242,884 26,987 269,871
Wexford County Council 354,467 39,385 393,852
Wicklow County Council 642,476 71,386 713,862
Total 12,000,000 1,333,333 13,333,333