Minister of State and Clare T.D., Tony Killeen has confirmed that the Government had allocated EUR500k to the Health Service Executive (HSE) Western Area to carry out essential repairs to homes occupied by elderly persons living on their own.This allocation brings the amount provided to HSE West under the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly Scheme in 2008 to EUR5.5 million. This funding has enabled the carrying out of work to the homes of thousands of applicants. The Minister said that the EUR500k allocated to HSE West this week was the largest under the Scheme’s Second Round Allocation. Elsewhere, EUR400k was allocated to HSE Dublin/North East, HSE Dublin/Mid Leinster and HSE Southern.
“I was delighted to receive confirmation of the allocation from my Ministerial colleague Michael Finneran, T.D., Minister for Housing, Urban Renewal and Developing Areas. The funding under the scheme allows for work to be carried out in homes at a minimal cost to the State, allowing older people to live in their own homes for longer, which is what this Government wants to encourage as much as possible”: explained Minister Killeen. Since the introduction of the scheme in 1982 over 80,000 households have had repairs carried out to their homes. Over the last 10 years the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has provided almost EUR154m for the continued operation of the scheme.
According to Minister Killeen: “In 2007 the total allocated to this scheme amounted to over EUR19.1m with close to 6,700 households assisted. By continuing to operate the scheme in its current format, for a further period of time, we will safeguard the needs of this vulnerable group." “The distribution of the latest round of funding throughout the four HSE regions is a matter for the HSE”: concluded the Junior Agriculture Minister.
