Up to two year backlog in Louth for Housing Adaptation Grants says Ó Murchú
Process needs to be reviewed and sped up says Louth TD
Adaptation grants for older people and those with disabilities need to be reviewed and need to be sped up, according to Louth TD, Ruairí Ó Murchú, who told the Dáil recently there has been an 18-month to two-year backlog in Louth.
The Sinn Féin TD was speaking on a motion brought by the Regional Independents on the council-administered grants and highlighted the case of a disabled Dundalk teenager who has been offered an adaptation grant that is not enough for the work required. Deputy Ó Murchú said: “We have all been inundated in our constituency offices by people looking for adaptation grants and those on the waiting lists. I spoke to Louth County Council this week. Generally there has been a two-year backlog. It has probably reduced to a year and a half.”
He continues, “In fairness most people on the lists are top priority. We know we are dealing with spiralling prices and costs. There are supply chain issues that can create difficulties even where builders are on site. This will create wider difficulties with housing and even the targets that have been set. We are always constrained by the lack of housing.”
Highlighting the case of one family in Dundalk, he said, “I am thinking of one specifically that related to a family offered a housing adaptation grant. I have spoken to the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, about this. I believe she has been in contact with the office of the housing minister on the issue to try to work out a solution. “These people have been offered €30,000 and more to put in a hoist. The case involves a teenager who is severely disabled and getting older and bigger. This is causing increasing logistical issues for the family.
"I hope we can find a roadmap for the people in this case for more money to be released. If the State did not have the parents to look after this child and was solely responsible for the care it would involve a huge amount of money. It would also be societally wrong’. He added, “In some cases we deal with houses that are not necessarily suited to these changes. We need a wider supply of a universal design. Beyond this there may be a wider need for the HSE play a part. There may be a need for specific funding. A lot of these issues are thrown on the local authorities. There needs to be a wider solution. We need to look at how we do this.”
In his response, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said: “Deputies will know that in Housing for All we have committed to a review of housing adaption grants for older people and those with disabilities. The review is under way right now. The review continues to be informed by ongoing engagement with external stakeholders. Formal submissions will be invited very shortly in relation to the review. I want the review completed this year. It will contemplate areas such as income thresholds, which have not been looked at in ten or 11 years, the grant limits and the application and decision-making processes’.