Council for Social Housing says elderly at risk

The Irish Council for Social Housing (ICSH)has warned that certain vulnerable sections of the community are becoming increasingly at risk because of insufficient funding.

The future of sheltered schemes for elderly and disabled people are a source of concern for housing associations, the AGM of the ICSH heard today.

The absence of a defined Government revenue scheme is hindering the provision of housing for these groups, Mr Donal McManus, the group’s executive director warned. This was due to a lack of co-ordintion between the Departments of Health and Environment, he said.

Mr McManus said that the future only looks bleaker, claiming the manifestos of the major political parties look as though they will merely perpetuate the system.

Although the provision of homes by the country’s 200 housing associations for 2001 was in line with targets set under the National Development Plan, the ICSH warned that this was not sustainable without streamlining and direct access to capital funding.

Under the NDP, over €7.5 billion was earmarked for social and affordable housing up to 2006. Housing associations can apply for capital funding once they have secured approved status from the Department of the Environment.

A total of 1,253 houses were completed and another 1,500 begun in 2001. Over 14,000 homes have been provided for the elderly, the disabled and homeless people by housing associations such as St Vincent de Paul, Focus Ireland and the Iveagh Trust.