The Minister might get a sense of déjà vu because I spoke on this matter during Questions on Policy or Promised Legislation last May. For those who need these vital services in Louth, it is Groundhog Day. I raise the need for additional funding and resources for the three housing adaptation grant schemes in Louth. On 1 May, just over a third of the way through the year, Louth County Council had to close its applications for anything other than priority one applications. As the Minister will be aware, very few applications are categorised as priority one. This is not the first year that Louth County Council had to stop taking applications for these scheme only a fraction of the way into the year. Every application represents a person struggling to stay in their own home with the support of loved ones and, in many cases, in horrendous and substandard conditions. The fact remains that local authorities are under-resourced and citizens are suffering. Under-resourcing these vital schemes not only leads the elderly and vulnerable struggling, but pausing them also strips them of any viable pathway for a more comfortable life in their home for the rest of their days. The Minister for local government urgently needs to release more funding to Louth County Council for the housing adaptation schemes. I ask the Minister to take that message directly back to him today as a matter of urgency.

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