1695. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is considering a request from a local authority to employ additional staff (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56630/26]

My Department provides funding under the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, to assist those in private houses to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a contribution from the local authority. The detailed administration of the scheme including assessment, approval, prioritisation and apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.

The Exchequer funding available for these grants in 2026 increased substantially by €30 million to €129.5 million, or over €152 million when accounting for the local authority contribution, continuing the year on year increases since 2014.

My Department is aware that some local authorities have paused the acceptance of priority 2 and priority 3 applications but are continuing to consider priority 1 applications. Priority 1 is defined as individuals who are terminally ill, primarily dependent on family or a carer, or where adaptations to the home would support applicants leaving hospital or residential care.

My Department works closely with all local authorities to monitor spend and to achieve a full drawdown of available funding. I understand that Kildare County Council has not closed the scheme, and does not propose to seek additional funding in 2026.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he / she is responsible. Staffing sanction requests for posts in local authorities submitted to my Department are considered in light of Government priorities and other requirements, including if the post is identified in the Strategic Work Force Plan. Consideration is also given to the overall staffing levels of the local authority and its ability to meet the ongoing costs involved.