People with Disabilities in Ireland
4th Floor Jervis House
Jervis Street
Dublin 1
Telephone: 01 87 21 74 4
Fax: 01 87 21 77 1
Email: info@pwdi.ie
People with Disabilities in Ireland (PwDI), the national organisation representing all people with disabilities today called on the Minister for the Environment, Dick Roche TD, to publish, without delay, the results of his Department’s review of the Disabled Persons and Essential Repairs grants operated by Local Authorities.
The review was initiated in June last after it emerged that Local Authorities around the country returned unspent, €17.6 million. This money was actually allocated for these grants.
PwDI Chief Executive Michael Ringrose said today:
“It is not as if the need or demand is not there. It is incredulous that at a time when there are hundreds of applications to Local Authorities by the least well off section of Irish society that there are inordinate delays in processing applications - the worst for years - and money being returned unspent to the Department.
“The issue needs to be addressed urgently by the Minister,” said Mr Ringrose.
The €17.6 million would have enabled a further 1,000 homes to be adapted for disabled people throughout the country.
The grants enable people to modify their homes by building ground floor accommodation and toilets and the provision of stair lifts. They also assist elderly people to carry out repairs to their homes, prolonging the life of the house.
Further information:
Michael Ringrose 087-2804590
Mairead Foley 086 – 2556764
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