31-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Allocation of €2.3m in housing adaptation grants to Sligo slammed as inadequate
Funding of €2,386.054 has been allocated to Sligo County Council by the Department of Housing and Local Government for the provision of Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability, Mobility Aid Grants and Housing Aid for Older People grants but this is inadequate said Cllr Bree who called on the Taoiseach and the Minister for Housing and Local Government to take the necessary action to ensure that increased and adequate funding is allocated to the Council as a matter of urgency.
The meeting unanimously agreed to the suspension of the standing orders and Cllr Bree proposed the motion which was seconded by Cllr Arthur Gibbons and was unanimously adopted
Speaking to the motion Cllr Bree said: 'Last week all of us were shocked to learn that the Council's Housing Department has not been provided with sufficient funding by the Department of Housing and Local Government to allow the Council to allocate necessary grant aid to many people who have submitted applications for Housing Adaptation Grants for People with a Disability, for Mobility Aid Grants and for Housing Aid for Older People grants.
'This is clearly unacceptable and the Minister for Housing and the Government now need to take immediate action to ensure that adequate funding is provided as a matter of urgency.
'The shortfall in funding will have dire consequences for vulnerable people who require grant assistance.
'This issue is not just about financial constraints; it's about ensuring dignity, independence, and safety for those most in need within our community.
'We know from experience that older people and people with a disability are keen to remain living independently at home.
'Housing adaptations schemes are key to this independence and give people the autonomy and confidence to live a full and active life.
'They are also important in reducing pressure on the HSE and social care services.
'Adaptations such as walk-in showers and stairlifts help to reduce falls, sustain better health, lessen dependence on others for care, and ease hospitals and nursing homes.
'It is totally unacceptable that the very people these grants aim to assist are left abandoned due to insufficient funding being provide by the government.
'The Taoiseach and the Minister must recognise the urgency of the situation and allocate the necessary resources to ensure that vulnerable individuals and families receive the support they desperately need to live with dignity and security in their own homes.'
