O'Keefe Announces Thirteen Million Euro For Housing Aid For The Elderly

Batt O'Keeffe, T.D., Minister for Housing, Urban Renewal and Developing Areas, last week announced allocations for 2008 under the Special Housing Aid for the Elderly scheme.

Thirteen million Euro is being made available for the carrying out of essential repairs, through the HSE, to houses occupied by elderly persons living on their own. 

Announcing the funding the Minister said, "My Department is committed to ensuring that the needs of our older community are not compromised in any way during the transfer of the SHAE Scheme to the local authority sector.

"Therefore this scheme will continue to operate in conjunction with the Housing Aid for Older People Scheme for as long as necessary to allow for a smooth and seamless transfer of the scheme to the local authority sector.

"Adequate funding will continue to be provided until such time as all outstanding issues relating to the transfer of the scheme are resolved."

Since the introduction of the scheme in 1982 almost 79,000 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 €145m for the continued operation of the scheme.

The Minister continued, "In 2007 the total allocated to this scheme amounted to  €19.132 million with close to 6,700 households assisted.

"By continuing to operate the scheme in it's current format, for a further period of time, we will safeguard the needs of this vulnerable group of our society."