I warmly welcome the restoration of the Housing Grants for pensioners which had been suspended by Dublin City Council for almost a year now. Fresh applications are being accepted from Monday 5th July. The City Council have now cleared the backlog of applications on the old grant. A budget of over €14m has been set aside to meet the needs of senior citizens applying under the grant. There are three strands to the grant:

• Housing Aid for Older People – a 100% grant in owner-occupied homes, where they are beyond repair, of up to €10,500 for structural repairs to roofs, rewiring, heating, water, sanitary services. The grant no longer covers replacement windows. It covers central heating where there is no system but only boiler replacement where there is an existing heating system.
• Mobility Aids – a 100% grant of up to €6,000 to address mobility problems, certified by a doctor (e.g. rails, ramps, stair-lifts and level access showers) in owned or private rented home.
• Housing Adaptation (Disability) – a 95% grant of up to €30,000 to adapt a home to suit the needs of a person with an enduring disability (e.g. downstairs toilet/showers, wheelchair adaptation, extension, etc.) in owned or private rented homes. The works must be certified necessary by a doctor and may require an Occupational Therapist Report.

The full grants above apply if the gross income of the owner and their spouse is less than €30,000, dropping on a graduated basis to 30% for incomes €54,000–€65,000.