Deputy Mairéad Farrell has called on Galway city council to address the six-month backlog of grant applications to adapt houses for older people and people with disabilities.
The backlog comes as the council has been short on funding and staff to deal with the applications. Teachta Farrell has raised the issue with the Minister for Housing and Local Government James Browne to ensure that funding and staffing issues are addressed to prevent further delays.
Dep Farrell explained, “Housing adaptation grants offer important opportunities to older people and people with disabilities to safely remain in their own home.
“However, in 2025, Galway City Council had staffing and funding shortages that resulted in a delay in the processing of these applications. They are now working on processing applications from the summer, which means there is a six-month backlog.
“I have been contacted by a few older people who are worried about the delays with their application and the impact that this has on their quality of life at home. I have raised the issue with both Galway City Council and the Minister for Housing and Local Government.
“I understand that the council hope to fill empty posts in the coming weeks, which will hopefully assist in dealing with the backlog. However, this is an incredibly important scheme that should be funded properly.
“Getting through this backlog must be a priority for the council, and if the issue persists, the Minister must step in to assure there are no gaps in funding or staffing moving forward.”
