Calls to relaunch home grants for elderly

CORK County Council is poised to reopen housing adaptation grant applications for elderly and disabled people — despite not having enough cash to fund the schemes.

The local authority closed applications last October when it ran out of money.

At that stage, it had received 1,000 applications who needed €14.5 million of works such as installation of showers or stair lifts in their homes.

County manager Martin Riordan said he was hoping to get the Government to significantly increase the grants from last year’s inadequate level of €6m.

Councillors sought to have the application process reintroduced yesterday to gauge the exact extent of the problem. But Mr Riordan advised them to defer the matter for around two weeks in order to see what grants the Government would provide for 2009.

However, a number of councillors said they would not expect the Government to come up with the necessary money and it was vital that a full picture of the problem was ascertained so further pressure would be exerted.

Cllr Kevin Murphy (Fine Gael) said the suspension of applications was wrong as it had showed what need was in the community.

“They are some of the most effective grants we ever administered. These are people who need our help,” Fianna Fáil Cllr Frank O’Flynn said.

Cllr Veronica Neville, FG, said councillors were getting phone calls weekly from elderly and disabled people in need and she also wanted the list reopened.

Cllr John Mulvihill (Labour) asked Fianna Fáil members to put pressure on ministers to release more money for the scheme.

“The Government of the day is leaving these people down. Can we seek at least an once-off grant to clear the backlog?” Cllr Dermot Sheehan, Fine Gael said.

Labour Cllr Martin Coughlan said it was a disgrace that the Department of the Environment still had not informed the council what level of grant aid it would provide this year.

Meanwhile, Cllr Maurice Ahern, FF, said applicants already in the system should go back to their builders and get another quote.

“Costs have gone down in the building sector, so we could save a lot of money by doing that,” he said.

Mayor of County Cork Noel Harrington (FG) said a clear message should go to Government that adaptation grants saved a lot of money in the long-term by freeing up beds in hospitals and nursing homes.

“When we have the allocation we’ll see what we can do. If we open the [applications] list we may have to tell people we won’t be with them for three years,” Mr Riordan said.

Following a motion, it was agreed to postpone accepting applications until the department disclosed the level of grants to be provided.