More than €2.2 million has been made available to fund home adaptations for older people, people with a disability and people with mobility issues in Clare.
Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said that the funding, which includes a €441,076 allocation from Clare County Council, will enable older people and people with disabilities to remain living independently in their own homes for longer and will also facilitate early return from hospital.
“I am confident that this year’s allocation will build on the progress made since the introduction of this scheme in 2007, Deputy Carey said.
“It follows on from last week’s launch of our policy document ‘Housing Options for Our Ageing Population’, which committed further resources from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government for this scheme.
“I am pleased that funding has been increasing year on year since 2014 and this shows the importance that is attached to the scheme.
These grants have an immense impact on the quality of life of the many beneficiaries and play a vitally important role in helping people with a disability and people who are reaching an age in life when they are less mobile, to continue to live independently in their own homes.”
“Grants of up to €30,000 are available to assist people with a disability in carrying out necessary works to make a house more suitable for their needs. Up to €8,000 is available to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out and up to €6,000 can be allocated for mobility aids,” he explained.
“The grants are 80 per cent funded from the exchequer through the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, with the remaining 20 per cent coming from Clare County Council.
“The grants also create employment opportunities for builders and local businesses and help reduce the dependency on our health services by supporting independent living for as long as possible.”
