A Kerry councillor has had to contact the community welfare officer to help people pay for housing adaptations.
Listowel councillor Tom Barry raised the issue at the recent county council meeting, where the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme was being discussed.
Kerry County Council was recently notified of an allocation of over €3 million (€3,075,625 - 80% recoupable) for Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability for 2023.
This is a slight increase on the 2022 allocation.
The council says it has 544 grants approved totalling €3.3 million; works remain to be completed on these, and the availability of contractors is posing challenges.
There are also another 132 new applications for these grants at various stages of assessment and approval.
Several council members said the caps on housing adaptation grants need to be upped in line with inflation, as applicants can’t afford to bridge the gap between the approved grant and the cost of the works.
Listowel Sinn Féin councillor Tom Barry says he’s had to contact the Community Welfare Officer on behalf of constituents, to help them make up the shortfall.
Welfare officers are employed by the Department of Social Protection, and support people in particular hardship.
Fine Gael councillor Michael Foley asked the council to write to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ask that costings be increased in line with inflation.
He said a bathroom adaptation grant is €6,000, but the cost of the works could be €9,500.
Killarney Fianna Fáil councillor Niall Kelleher said the caps on grants are out of date.
Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Ferris said one constituent of hers was quoted €20,000 for a new roof, when the grant is capped at €8,500.
Independent Tralee councillor Sam Locke said the caps need to be reviewed so people don’t have to dig into savings.
Director of Services, Martin O’Donoghue said the department is reviewing the caps, and that the council met the department last week, specifically on the heating element of these grants.
