Independents push for €15k ‘granny flat grant’

The Independent Alliance is pushing hard for a €15,000 ‘granny flat grant’ to convert family homes into two units as part of the budget.

Pensioners living alone in large family homes would be encouraged to split their houses in two and rent the new unit out to a family or single person unable to find accommodation.

The proposal has been put forward by the grouping after their initial idea to provide a grant to grandparents who care for their grandchildren was slapped down by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe.

The Independent Alliance met Mr Donohoe again yesterday, but the minister’s spokesman said he would not be making any comment ahead of the Budget.

At the launch of the DEBRA Ireland Report on outreach nursing care, Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath said the grant would be “in the same region” as the housing adaptation grants for people with disabilities

“I would see the grants being in the region of €10,000 to €15,000, that’s the figure I am thinking of,” he said.

“If you have a woman who is in her 70s or 80s who is living in a huge house where there is extra space, why not give them some sort of grant, some sort of a tax break, some sort of a financial reward if they agree to the conversion of the house into a second unit.”

“You could have the senior citizen, who is on her own in a big empty building downstairs, and a young family upstairs, which would make a contribution to the housing crisis and, the second thing, there would be a bit of company for the senior citizen, who is on her own,” he said.

Mr McGrath said Dublin City Council had a scheme in place for the past 20 years to offer senior citizens a one-bedroomed apartment if they moved out of their larger family home.

“We need more social housing, we need more affordable housing. My own view is, despite all the negativity about [Housing] Minister Eoghan Murphy, who I have total confidence in, I think we are going to see a dent in the housing over the next nine to 10 months with the investment that is going on at the moment.”