A motion to call on the government to increase the rates of payments to recipients of the Housing Adaptation Grants has received unanimous support from Monaghan County Council. Cllr Seamus Coyle called for an immediate review and increase of the grant.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability assists people with a disability to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. The Housing Aid for Older People Grant assists older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. Grant eligible works include structural repairs or improvements, re-wiring, repairs to or replacement of windows and doors, provision of water supply and sanitary facilities, and provision of heating
The suite of grants available to private home owners are 80 per cent funded by the Department of Housing with a 20 per cent contribution from the resources of each local authority. Cllr Coyle said the grant amount should match increased construction costs: "The grant rates need to be increased and that's what my motion was asking," Cllr Coyle told Northern Sound, "Sometimes people have emergency bills, people are in a vulnerable place. If we look at the way there has been a 25 per cent increase from the third quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2023 in construction costs. That's due to the shortage of materials, labour, tradespeople but, this os putting many under pressure.
