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STATISTICS REVEALED FROM a parliamentary question by Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen shows that the number of of grants for the elderly reduced from 7,138 in 2010 to just 1,739 so far in 2013.
“The government has drastically reduced the number of grants paid out for the Housing Aid for the Older Persons Scheme since it came into power,” said Cowen, who added that the figures revealed show the full scale of the cuts targeting older people across the country.
Grants
The figures detail the numbers of grants paid each year together with the monies recouped to the local authorities since 2010 in respect the Housing Aid for Older People (HAOP) and the Mobility Aids Grant (MAG).
These schemes, introduced in November 2007, are funded by 80 per cent recoupments available from my Department together with a 20 per cent contribution from the resources of the local authority.
In Dublin City Council the figures show that the HAOP grants in 2010 came to 527 - €1,481,399. This fell to 246 in 2011 – €875,136, falling to 182 in 2012 – €656,383 and further falling to 75 to the end of October this year, at €324,114.
Details of the numbers of grants paid each year together with the monies recouped to the local authorities since 2010 are set out in the following tables:
If you can’t see these figures, please click here.
Speaking about the figures, Cowen said “Housing Aid for Older Persons Scheme is a vital support to help older people adapt their homes to their physical circumstances”.
He added:
The rapid decline over the past three years has meant many older people are not getting the support they need to live in the homes they have worked all their lives for.The Government has failed to provide real resources to allow older people make the changes they need to continue living in their own homes for as long as possible.
Many people require only modest supports to continue living independently and securely close to their families and friends. These cut backs jeopardise that.
He said he was also concerned that the Environment Minister Phil Hogan is “back-tracking on his promise to ensure that 80 per cent of the property tax collected in an area goes towards local services in that area,” stating that local authority finances are struggling to come up with their 20 per cent of the costs of housing aid supports.
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Mains pipes in Limerick must be in a bad way. I work on the Ballysimon Road in Limerick and the amount of times the mains pipe on this road has burst is nuts.
By the looks of that pipe I bet the Romans had a better water supply.
Well done limerick country council great work getting the water supply back on do quick
Goebong.
Am I reading your comment correct?
Are you congragulating Limerick CITY council for actually doing the job they are being paid to do?
Yes they done a great job water back on within hours great job people could have had no water all day
Goebung
Thanks for confirming that we need to congragulate council workers for actually working.
So what do want to give out to them for doing a good job stop being so negative
Goebung
Dont worry this time next year when their all transfered to Irish Water they will be too busy fixing water meters to have time to fix leaks, then you’ll be giving out.
It probably was a roman made pipe from roman times
Is that a stock photo of some pipe that leaked or a photo of water pipes typical of Limerick?
Robert
That is a stock photo. Howeveer it could also be a photo of typical water pipes anywhere in the country. Some water pipes have been repaired so often the councils would have paid 10 times less to actually replace them altogether.
That’s the council “engineers” for you
The pipe wil need to be fixed and stay fixed, as all the wh0res will need their weekly wash after the weekend
I guess the customers don’t wash at all?
Bit of plumbers mate… She’ll be grand….!
Do they use wooden pipes as in pic?
Pipes my side spear to burst a lot as well as the water is often off for repairs.
have your say