Vol. 529 No. 1
786 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if single people are debarred from applying for the social and affordable housing schemes through local authorities; if there are any guidelines regarding the assessment of single applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1213/01]
Single people are not debarred from consideration by local authorities for assistance in meeting their housing needs through any of the range of social and affordable housing schemes administered by local authorities. The most recent assessment of need for local authority housing indicated that 29% of households assessed as being in need of local authority housing, and accordingly accepted onto local authority housing waiting lists, were single person households. Inclusion on the waiting list for local authority housing confers eligibility for consideration for the range of social and affordable housing schemes, particularly local authority rented housing, housing provided by voluntary bodies, and the shared ownership and affordable housing schemes.
Applications for inclusion on local authority waiting lists are assessed on the basis of the household's circumstances. The allocation of local authority rented housing is based on a number of criteria taking account of the household's situation and the competing priorities of other applicant households. Local authorities have been advised by my Department that it should be the aim of a scheme of letting priorities to promote equality of opportunity in getting access to local authority housing based on relative needs to ensure a dwelling, if suitable, is let to the person in greatest need and to ensure that no category of need, including single people, is at a permanent disadvantage vis-à-vis other categories.
