Older people and those with disabilities in Kildare “let down” by the system - councillor

Cllr Chris Pender, Social Democrats General Election candidate for Kildare South, has cautiously welcomed today’s announcement by Ministers Darragh O’Brien and Alan Dillon regarding the revised Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People.

While acknowledging the long-overdue increases, Cllr Pender emphasised that these changes do not go far enough to meet the scale of need across Kildare and the country.

The revised scheme, which commenced on 1st December 2024, includes a 30% increase in grant limits and a 25% increase in household income thresholds.

Key changes include:

The Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People increased to €40,000 (previously €30,000).

The Housing Aid for Older People Grant increased to €10,700 (previously €8,000).

The Mobility Aid Grant increased to €8,000 (previously €6,000).

Speaking following the announcement, Cllr Pender said: “This increase in funding is long overdue and has come after years of delays and inaction from successive governments. For far too long, older people and those with disabilities have been let down by a system that failed to provide adequate supports for them to live independently in their homes.

"These revised grants are welcome but they fall short of addressing the massive backlog of applications in Kildare and other local authorities.”

Highlighting the limitations of the revised scheme, Cllr Pender said: “While the increases in grant limits and income thresholds are positive, they don’t fully reflect the soaring costs of construction, labour, and materials.

"Many families will still struggle to bridge the gap between the grants and the actual cost of necessary adaptations. Equally concerning is the persistent underfunding of local authorities to process these applications efficiently, leaving vulnerable people waiting months, if not years, for support.”

Criticising the government’s approach to housing policy, Cllr Pender added: “This is yet another example of the government playing catch-up. For older people and disabled individuals, these grants are not just numbers on a page – they are the difference between living with dignity at home or being forced into unsuitable residential care.

"If we are serious about supporting independent living and ageing in place, then these grants must be further strengthened and matched with sustained investment in frontline services.”

Cllr Pender reiterated his commitment to advocating for more robust and responsive supports for older people and individuals with disabilities: “I will continue to push for increased funding, greater accountability in processing applications, and grant amounts that reflect the true cost of adaptations. We cannot leave our most vulnerable waiting any longer.”