'If that wasn't a case of hardship, I certainly don't know what is' - Prior

People under the age of 66 should be entitled to housing aid for older people in genuine cases of hardship, Leitrim councillors stated at a recent meeting.

Cllr Gary Prior said that he was aware of a recent application for the housing aid for older people where the "owner of the home is a carer for a severely disabled young adult."

This grant is aimed at people aged 66 and older, who are living in poor housing conditions. However, in cases of genuine hardship, the local authority may help people under the age of 66.

READ MORE: Leitrim man (92) living with Motor Neurone disease receives award from Taoiseach

Cllr Prior continued: "She was in her mid sixties and didn't qualify. The roof of their home was letting in a lot of water and there were some heavy downpours in the last weeks and months and they had to go up into the attic with buckets to try and take the water in."

He added, "Well if that wasn't a case of hardship, I certainly don't know what is. A severely disabled young man in the house; she's a full time carer and she was refused the work."

Justin Fannon, director of services responded that he was "surprised at that". 

Cllr Enda McGloin contributed that he was aware of a similar situation where a person under the age of 66 made an application and "they were in a very similar situation to the case you talked about and were refused as well."

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke said that in his view, it was a funding issue and asked if "this is because we are not asking for enough, conscious we don't have a mechanism to supply the match funding or is it because people who administer this in Dublin aren't getting sufficient lobbying from public representatives. I'm beside the Cavan and Longford border and for whatever reason, the amount of money paid out and the latitude that engineers have when they visit a house to assess it, seems to be much broader."

READ MORE: Months-long closure announced for Leitrim road to facilitate water works

He said that the council is "essentially penny-pinching to assess the money across and constantly leaving in fear of the scheme having to be extended towards the end of some year."

Cllr McGloin suggested a report from housing addressing the questions of the councillors. 

Cllr O'Rourke noted that the next Housing, Community and Culture Strategic Policy Committee is set to take place in September. "We could put the questions to the relevant people at the meeting if we had the replies."