732. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding grant measures available to support persons with mobility issues that need to upgrade their homes to make them more accessible, in tabular form. [65193/26]

733. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding proposals to review the means testing parameters related to grant support for people with mobility issues to make private homes accessible. [65192/26]

734. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether the existing grant supports for people with mobility issues to make private homes accessible are fair, specifically in terms of the means testing applied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65191/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 732, 733 and 734 together.

My Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities under the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme, to assist people 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 budgetary apportionment is the responsibility of local authorities.

The Exchequer funding available for these grants in 2026 has been increased substantially by €30 million to almost €130 million, or over €152 million when accounting for the local authority contribution, continuing the year on year increases since 2014.

My Department carried out a review of the Housing the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People scheme including a review of the Means Test, and the Report on the Review is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/report-on-the-review-of-the-housing-adaptation-grants-for-older-people-and-people-with-a-disability/.

The Housing (Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 612 of 2024), which came into effect on 1 December 2024, provide the legal basis for the introduction of the recommendations set out in the review. The key changes include an increase in the grant limits of over 30% and the income thresholds by 25% whilst also revising the means test. The legislation also adjusts the burden sharing for local authorities by reducing the local authority funding contribution to 15% (from the previous 20%).

The grants available operate on a sliding scale with the highest percentage grants available to those with the lowest incomes and vice versa. The schemes are means tested and grant assistance is available to applicants whose assessed household income, after disregards and deductions, is up to €75,000 per annum. The household income approach is intended to spread the benefits of the grant scheme as widely as possible and to ensure fairness and value for money in operation of the scheme towards those with the greatest needs.

Local authorities, in administering the scheme, work with qualifying applicants to secure the most beneficial outcome possible in line with the applicants' financial circumstances and within the parameters of the Grant Scheme.

The detailed administration of the scheme, including the receipt and assessment of applications, approval, prioritisation, inspection arrangements and payment of grants, is a matter for each local authority.