Housing & Planning Minister Jan O’Sullivan today announced a capital provision of €67.75m for grants to improve or adapt the private homes of older people and people with a disability in 2012.

Announcing the allocations, the Minister said: "The Government is determined that our scarce resources are targeted at those most in need and I am delighted to be able to secure this level of funding for the Housing Adaptation Grant Schemes for Older People and People with a Disability in spite of the severe constraints on the public finances in these challenging economic times for our country and for our people."

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Supporting independent living is one of the key priorities of the Government’s new Housing Strategy for People with a Disability. The Strategy sets out a framework for the delivery of housing to people with disabilities through mainstream housing policy, including through enabling people with disabilities to continue to live in their own homes rather than having to move into residential care settings.

Last Year almost 12,000 grants were paid out under these schemes by the various local authorities around the country.

(CD/GK)