Page 28 - Donegal CC An Rpt 19

Donegal County Council Annual Report 2019
As requested by the Department of Justice and Equality, the Council acted as the
lead agency supporting the resettlement of Programme Refugees in Donegal. The Department’s Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) works through Local Authorities and local agencies to facilitate the integration and resettlement of refugees. The Resettlement Programme
is steered and monitored by the Donegal Interagency Resettlement Working Group that includes representatives from statutory, community and voluntary agencies. 223 persons have been welcomed and housed in Donegal under the Programme.
Housing Grants
Donegal County Council operates three grant schemes which are jointly funded by the Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government (80%) and Donegal County Council (20%). The schemes
are to assist people with disabilities and older people to help them to live more comfortably or independently in their own homes. €1,568,015 was paid out in grants in respect of 297 dwellings.
Inspection of private rented dwellings
The inspection programme of private rented dwellings to assess compliance with the statutory requirements for rented accommodation as outlined in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2019, continued during
the year. These regulations set out
the minimum standards which rented housing units must meet. A total of 1,409 inspections were carried out during the year on 924 properties, and the Council has been following up with landlords with a view to having improvements carried out to private rented dwellings as required under the regulations. Letters of compliance were issued to property owners in respect of 320 properties which achieved the required standard.