OLDER PEOPLE IN GALWAY FACING HOUSE GRANT DELAYS

Date Published: 20-Aug-2008

Older people in Galway are facing long delays in having house repair grants approved because government funds have dried up. Galway county council has told Galway Bay FM News it has over 3,000 applications pending for the Housing Repair Scheme for Older People and disability grants but their 1.8 million euro budget has run dry. However it is still accepting applications. Galway city council has confirmed it's funding for this year has also been used up. Grants of up to ten thousand euro allow older people to repair their homes and people with disabilties to make alterations. Age Action Ireland is warning the delays mean some people may be forced into residential care.