'People can't afford it': More than €500k in adaptation grants unused in Cork city due to rising costs

OVER half a million euro worth of adaptation grants meant to help older people and people with disabilities living in social housing were not drawn down in Cork City last year, leading one TD to claim grant limits are currently too low for works to be feasible.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or those living in overcrowded situations.

In 2022, a funding allocation of €1,593,115 was made to Cork City Council under the Disabled Persons Grants scheme, but only €1,052,213 in grants was drawn down, meaning that €540,902 in available funding was not used. 

Nationally, from a funding allocation of €24,627,005 under the scheme, some €17,100,013 in grants was drawn down, meaning €7,526,992 went unused.

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould, has called on the Government to consider increasing adaptation grant limits because, he said, the current thresholds are too low and are acting as a barrier to vital adaptations.

“The reality is that over half a million euro in adaptation grants went unspent in Cork city in 2022,” Mr Gould said.

“Much of this is likely because the amounts awarded, due to construction inflation, are not feasible for Cork City Council to actually sign contracts and get the work done.

“Cork City Council are now leaving people without vital adaptations – such as ground-floor bathrooms and showers – simply because they cannot afford to do this work with the money the Government are giving them,” the northside TD said.

Submissions on the review of housing adaptation grants closed in July of 2022.

“It has been months but we have heard nothing from Government and in the meantime people are being forced to live in homes that are not suitable for them,” Mr Gould said.

“Social housing tenants that have been assessed and approved for a grant are now being left waiting because the funding has not been drawn down. Cork City Council recognise the need of these people, they have approved their requests but the money just isn’t there to complete the much needed work.” 2022 saw the lowest drawdown in adaptation grants by Cork City Council since 2016, the Sinn Féin TD said, which indicated that the council could not afford to get work done with the amounts of money offered, and grants would have to be increased.

“Otherwise, situations will get worse and I fear that people who could, with housing adaptation, continue to live in their communities will be forced to move into residential facilities,” Mr Gould said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said: “The detailed administration of [the Disabled Persons Grants] scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation of applications is the responsibility of local authorities.