Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Jan 1997

Vol. 474 No. 1

Written Answers. - Local Authority Housing.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

107 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for the Environment if the guidelines issued by his Department to local authorities on the provision of housing, had any reference to the provision of housing for a person who formerly occupied a local authority house and is no longer able to do so in view of marital breakdown; if he intends to issue new guidelines to ensure that such persons will not be precluded from being placed on the housing list for that reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2451/97]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Ms McManus)

It is a matter for each local authority to assess housing need and to make a scheme of priorities for the letting of housing under sections 9 and 11, respectively, of the Housing Act, 1988. Guidelines issued to local authorities by my Department in relation to the assessments and schemes of letting priorities specify that applicants for local authority housing should not be debarred from inclusion in the assessments by virtue of their marital status and that schemes of letting priorities should promote equality of opportunity in getting access to local authority housing based on relative housing need.