€2.34m granted to improve housing conditions for older people and people with disabilities in Dublin – McAdam

Dublin City Council is to receive state funding of €2.34m to improve housing stock for older people and people with a disability, a Fine Gael Councillor has said.

Councillor McAdam highlighted the funding for Dublin city as part of an €18 million nationwide package announced by Government to improve housing conditions.

Councillor McAdam said: “The Disabled Persons Grant Scheme and the Improvement Works in Lieu of Local Authority Housing Scheme are administered directly by Dublin City Council. Exchequer funding meets 90% of the cost of the works in each property, with the local authority providing the remaining 10%. In total €2.34m is granted under the two schemes for the area covered by Dublin City Council.

“The DPG Scheme provides funding for extensions and adaptations to existing social housing stock for older people and people with a disability and is designed to help make life at home a little easier.

“For example, the funding can be used for items such as grab rails, disabled access ramps, wet rooms, setting up a bedroom downstairs etc. The scheme also provides extensions in cases of overcrowding in a home.

“In addition, funding is provided under the Improvement Works in Lieu of social housing scheme (IWILs). This 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.

“This funding is designed to improve housing conditions for those who need it most and will help people to live independently in their own homes for longer.

“As Minister O’Brien has said 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.”