€565,849 to improve homes of older people and people with a disability in Leitrim

Minister for State at the Department of Health and local Fine Gael T.D. Frank Feighan has today  announced a €1.9 Million fund for Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability in Sligo and Leitrim.

Leitrim is to receive €565,849 while Sligo is to receive €1,425,548.

In Leitrim this includes exchequer funding of €452,679 (80%) Local Authority of  (20%) €113,170.

The fund, which supports home adaptations for older people, those with a disability and people with mobility issues, is 80% exchequer funding through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with 20% funding from the relevant local authority.

Grants of up to €30,000 are available to assist people with a disability in carrying out necessary works to make a house more suitable for their needs, up to €8,000 to assist older people to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out and up to €6,000 for mobility aids. 

Minister Feighan said, that this new funding will help Sligo and Leitrim County Council to carry out these much needed works in the local community. Importantly, home adaptations help reduce the dependency on our health services by supporting independent living for as long as possible and in other instances facilitate an early return from hospital, taking pressure off already over-burdened services. 

“These grants will also provide a boost to local economies, creating employment opportunities for local contractors. While the current shutdown in construction activity remains in place, it is very important that people are aware that housing adaptation works can continue with the consent of the homeowner and once public health guidelines are adhered to,” he concluded.