Welcome given for new Housing Adaptation Bill
LOUTH TD Declan Breathnach has welcomed the Housing (Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability) Bill 2018.
‘ The Bill would provide for a decision to be made on a housing adaptation grant within four weeks from the receipt of the application by the local authority.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability currently provides grant aid to applicants to assist in the carrying out of works that are necessary to render a house more suitable for the accommodation needs of a person with a disability. The effective maximum grant under the scheme is €30,000, which may cover up to 95% of the approved cost of works.
Deputy Breathnach said that the grant scheme was ‘ marred by backlogs in application decisions and unreasonable waiting lists and I have spoken about delays in Louth with this scheme many times.’
Deputy Breathnach added ‘ The housing adaptation grant is vital for allowing older people or people with a disability to continue living independently in their own homes.’
‘ The provision of stair-lifts; grab-rails; showers; wet-rooms and ramps along with extensions such as the installation of a downstairs bedroom or bathroom, are in many cases the only way in which a person can remain in their own home. This also has a knock on effect on the acute hospital network by alleviating pressure on hospitals and preventing delayed discharges,’ concluded Deputy Breathnach.