Almost €350k for social housing improvements

A sum of €195,559 will be allocated to Cavan County Council, and €148,524 to Monaghan County Council. Exchequer funding meets 90% of the cost of the works in each property, with the local authority providing the remaining 10%.

Almost €350,000 has been allocated for the Disabled Persons Grant Scheme and the Improvement Works in lieu of Local Authority Housing Schemes in Counties Cavan and Monaghan.

The DPG scheme provides funding for extensions and adaptations to existing social housing stock for older people and people with a disability such as grab rails, disabled access ramps, wet rooms, downstairs bedrooms etc. The scheme also provides extensions in cases of overcrowding.

The Improvement Works in Lieu of social housing scheme (IWILs) meanwhile allows local authorities to improve or extend privately owned accommodation, where the applicant has been approved for social housing. It allows those who are otherwise eligible for social housing to remain in private housing and for enhancements to that housing.

A sum of €195,559 will be allocated to Cavan County Council, and €148,524 to Monaghan County Council.

The €18 million in funding being allocated today, comprises almost €2 million in accrued commitments from 2019, preliminary allocations of €13.5 million towards the 2020 funding requests based on percentage of housing stock in local authority ownership, while a contingency of €2.5 million has been set aside.

The Disabled Persons Grant scheme (DPG) and Improvement Works In Lieu of social housing scheme (IWILs) are administered directly by Local Authorities.

Exchequer funding meets 90% of the cost of the works in each property, with the local authority providing the remaining 10%.

Welcoming the funding, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD, said: “This will greatly improve the housing conditions for our older tenants and those living with disabilities. It will also address issues of overcrowding in existing social housing stock, while improvement works on private homes in lieu of social housing also provides an alternative for those currently experiencing overcrowding in private accommodation.”

He added that the grants have a huge impact on the quality of life of the many beneficiaries and play a vitally important role in helping people with a disability and people who are reaching an age in life when they are less mobile, to continue to live independently in their own homes.

“Funding has been increasing year on year under this scheme and this year’s allocation is a 19% increase on 2019 levels. It is a clear demonstration of the Government’s commitment to improving the lives of older people and people with a disability,” the Minister concluded.

The allocation was also welcomed by Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fail TD Brendan Smith.