Written Answers Nos. 135-152
135. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the deteriorating state of the roof; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17281/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department is in receipt of a Category 6 application, roof works project, under the Summer Works Scheme (2016 - 2017) from the school to which he refers.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the current Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is being applied on a multi-annual basis for the years 2016 and 2017.
Details of successful school applicants in respect of Categories 1 and 2 were announced last April and are published on my Department's website www.education.ie. Assessment of valid projects in further categories is now being undertaken by my Department, subject to the overall availability of funding, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme as outlined in Circular Letter (0055/2015), which may be accessed on my Department's website. The application from the school in question is available to be considered in this context. I expect to be in a position to announce a further round of the SWS in due course.
136. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for the refurbishment of home economics rooms; and if the school will be considered for the replacement of prefabs, in view of the fact that they have fallen into disrepair and the school has a rise in student numbers over the next number of years. [17283/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for improved accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.
With regard to prefab replacement, over the lifetime of my Department's Capital Programme, it is my intention to replace all purchased temporary accommodation with permanent accommodation, where the need is established. To enable this development, my Department will be carrying out an assessment of the number of prefabs being used in schools to deliver the curriculum. This will also determine whether or not individual prefabs need to be replaced in the context of the long-term accommodation needs of each individual school. Some schools are operating in prefabs as a temporary measure while their permanent accommodation is being built. When completed, this assessment will quantify the number of prefabs to be replaced.
137. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for additional school building and replacement of prefabs for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17284/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has recently submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional school accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.
I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided significant funding to the school in 2015 to construct four classrooms and the project is now nearing completion.
138. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) was refused a higher education grant in view of the fact that others in similar circumstances appear to qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17325/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service complements the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal may be submitted by the applicant via www.studentgrantappeals.ie outlining the position to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe.
139. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the name, costs, date of commission, date or expected date of publication and name of the external consultant of all external reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011 per annum in tabular form. [17431/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of all consultancy payments made by my Department for the years 2011 to 2015 inclusive are available on the Department's website www.education.ie/en/Publications/Corporate-Reports/Financial-Reports/Expenditure-on-Consultancy/.
Information in relation to consultancy expenditure is compiled annually in respect of the previous year. Details in respect of consultants engaged in 2016 are currently being compiled and will be published as soon as they are available.
140. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the specific timeline for publishing an updated version of the wind energy planning guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17238/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Questions Nos. 12, 50 and 37 on today's Order Paper, which sets out the position on this matter.
141. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of persons living in refuge shelters or other locations provided for victims of domestic violence, with reference to the latest homelessness report form his Department in February 2017. [17155/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe official monthly homelessness data report published by my Department is compiled from information provided by housing authorities and produced via the Pathway Accommodation and Support System (PASS), the single integrated national data information system on State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements overseen by housing authorities. These reports are published on my Department's website as soon as they are available and can be accessed using the following link: www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data.
These reports do not capture details of individuals utilising temporary accommodation that is not overseen by housing authorities, such as clients of domestic violence refuges. Any relevant data compilation and management in relation to those clients are a matter for Tusla.
142. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will address a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17158/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWith effect from 1 January 2014, Irish Water is responsible for public water services. The Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provides that Irish Water shall collect charges from its customers in receipt of water services provided by it. The Act also provides that responsibility for the independent economic regulation of the water sector is assigned to the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER) and the CER has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers.
Any business connected to a public water supply is liable for charges as a non-domestic customer. It should be noted that the arrangements in place for all non-domestic customers on 1 January 2014 remained in place. On this basis, the local authorities continued to bill for non-domestic water services as agents of Irish Water. Irish Water is in the process of migrating the non-domestic billing system from the local authorities into the utility. I understand that as of 31 December 2016, 24 of the 27 local authority billing systems had migrated to Irish Water.
Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. The team can be contacted via email at oireachtasmembers@water.ie or by telephone on a dedicated number, 1890 578 578.
The CER is also progressing a review of all aspects of non-domestic water tariffs and in conjunction with Irish Water will establish an enduring non-domestic tariff framework. The CER has recently published an information note informing customers and interested parties about the project and will shortly engage in a period of public consultation on the enduring tariff framework for non-domestic water and/or wastewater customers of Irish Water.
143. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the detail of the affordable rental scheme; the number of properties which have been secured to date; the costs involved; the numbers of persons that have accessed the scheme; the bodies which manage the scheme; the channels through which persons have accessed the scheme; the amount of further housing which will be secured via this scheme each year until 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17160/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs set out in the Strategy for the Rental Sector published in December 2016, the commitment to introduce affordable rental is to be progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones. Lands held by local authorities in rent pressure zones are to be brought to market on a competitive tendering basis, with a view to leveraging the value of the land to deliver the optimum number of units for rent, targeting middle income households, in mixed tenure developments.
The cost of providing rental units is to be permanently reduced by lowering the initial investment and development costs for providers - Approved Housing Body or private - allowing the rental units to be made available at below market prices without the need for ongoing rental subsidies.
The local authorities concerned will identify a number of sites with potential and will move forward, as soon as possible, to issue calls for proposals from parties interested in developing projects. As speed of delivery will be critically important, appropriate licence arrangements, incorporating clear timescales for delivery, will be a key feature of the process.
This programme is being co-ordinated with the dedicated measures in Rebuilding Ireland to accelerate housing output from the Major Urban Housing Delivery Sites, including support from the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF), where necessary.
144. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the penalties for non-payment of the NPPR; the procedure for appealing a penalty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17161/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Government (Charges) Act 2009, as amended, provides the legislative basis for the Non Principal Private Residence (NPPR) Charge. The NPPR Charge, which has since been discontinued, applied in the years 2009 to 2013 to any residential property in which the owner did not reside as their normal place of residence.
The self-assessed Charge is set at €200 per annum and liability for it falls, in the main, on owners of rental, holiday and vacant properties. Section 6 of the 2009 Act, as amended, provides that the owner of a liable property who fails to pay the charge, in addition to him or her being liable to pay the Charge, is liable to pay to the relevant local authority a €20 late payment fee in respect of each month or part of a month in which the Charge, any late payment fee, or any part of such Charge or fee, remains unpaid.
Part 12 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014 also deals with the collection of undischarged liabilities relating to the NPPR Charge. The Act provided for a period from 2 March 2014 to 31 August 2014 during which time no new late penalties were applied to existing liabilities. If payment was not made in full or if settlement terms were not agreed by the end of that period, an additional late payment fee of €120 per liability date applied on 1 September 2014. As the Charge applied in each of the years from 2009 to 2013, there were five liability dates – 31 July 2009 and 31 March for each of the years 2010 to 2013. In addition to this late payment fee to be applied per liability date, the entire NPPR liability is then increased by a factor of 50% and frozen.
Under the Act, it is a function of a local authority to collect NPPR charges and late payment fees due to it, and all charges and late payment fees imposed and payable to a local authority are under the care and management of the local authority concerned. In this regard, application of the legislation in particular circumstances is a matter for the relevant local authority.
Under section 77 of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, my Department issued guidance to local authorities concerning matters relating to arrears of the NPPR Charge and late payment fees to ensure that a consistent national approach is adopted. The guidelines, which are available at http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Administration/FileDownLoad%2C37899%2Cen.pdf, encourage local authorities to take a proactive approach to ensure that any outstanding NPPR liabilities are discharged in the most equitable, efficient and economically beneficial manner and include guidance in respect of dealing with hardship cases. It is expected, in the majority of cases, that local authorities will collect the full NPPR Charge liability from owners. In some cases, this may be by means of arrangement by instalment. All non-compliant owners or owners with queries should log on to www.nppr.ie or, alternatively, contact their local authority to discuss any matters they wish to clarify and to make any outstanding payments.
Should an initial claim of hardship be rejected by a local authority, the claimant should also be afforded, if requested, a further appeal to a more senior officer in the local authority. Ultimately, should a subsequent appeal be unsuccessful the complainant should be notified as early as is possible. Claimants should also be informed that if they are still not happy with the determination they can appeal to the Office of the Ombudsman.
145. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will make changes to the 2005 planning guidelines for sustainable rural housing following the European Court of Justice ruling in 2013 on this issue; the timeframe for changes to these planning guidelines; when directions will be issued to local authorities on these changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17173/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraArising from the ECJ judgment referred to in the Question, my Department is currently engaged in consultations with planning authorities regarding potential modifications required to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, with a view to ensuring that rural housing policies and objectives contained in county development plans comply with Article 43 (Freedom of Movement of People) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
On conclusion of these consultations, my Department will be engaging with the European Commission on proposed changes to the Guidelines, with a view to issuing updated Guidelines to planning authorities on the matter in due course. When issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála will have to have regard to these amended Guidelines in the performance of their functions.
146. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the level of oversight the new office of the planning regulator, OPR, will have over strategic transport plans drafted by the NTA or TII; if the OPR will have the power to ask these bodies to alter elements of a plan if it is of the view it is not fully consistent with regional or national planning guidelines; and if not, the way the OPR will ensure compliance of strategic transport plan with the national spatial strategy or its successor, the national planning framework. [17235/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016 makes provision for the establishment of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR), which was one of the recommendations made in the Final Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (also known as the Mahon Tribunal).
The Office will be independent of my Department and will be responsible for the independent assessment of all local authority and regional assembly forward planning, including zoning decisions of local authority members in local area plans and development plans, to ensure compliance with relevant national and/or regional policy.
The Office will be empowered to review the organisation, systems and procedures used by any planning authority or An Bord Pleanála in the performance of any their planning functions under the Planning Acts, including risks of corruption and on foot of individual complaints from members of the public. It will also be empowered to drive a national research, education and public information programme to highlight the role and benefit of planning.
In establishing the OPR, the Government’s aim is to ensure proper oversight over the systems and procedures used by planning authorities and ensure public confidence in the delivery of quality outcomes, while avoiding overlap with existing appeals procedures in relation to individual cases operated by An Bord Pleanála and the role of the Courts.
Responsibility for planning policy remains with the local government system, working within the legislative and policy framework for planning established at the national level.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for “strategic planning of transport” and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has responsibility for delivering transport infrastructure, in line with strategic transport planning. These are very clear and distinct roles, with their own broad legislative and policy framework governing their functions.
In preparing its Transport Strategy, the NTA is required to have regard to a number of matters, including the National Spatial Strategy (soon to be replaced by the National Planning Framework (NPF) currently being developed), local authority development plans, and the Regional Planning Guidelines for the regions.
In addition, the NTA is required by law to ensure that the Transport Strategy is consistent with the Regional Planning Guidelines and subsequently with their replacement plans, the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies, which will take account of the new NPF.
It is not proposed that the OPR will have any function to review strategic transport plans drafted by the NTA or TII, nor will it have a specific statutory power to ask those bodies to alter elements of their plans. These bodies are already bound to develop their strategies in line with the National Spatial Strategy but it is acknowledged that a much more integrated approach needs to be developed between planning and transport. Existing legislation seeks to achieve this by requiring, on a statutory basis, consistency between strategic transport planning, in the form of the Transport Strategy, and regional level land use planning. It is considered unnecessary to give further statutory functions to the OPR, given that statutory obligations already exist and better integration will be promoted by co-operation and collaboration between policy makers, the OPR, NTA and TII in practice, to ensure that cohesive land use planning and transport provision are achieved.
147. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the years in which a fund (details supplied) will be drawn down; the number of houses that will be constructed each year between 2017 and 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17261/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe aim of the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) is to relieve critical infrastructural blockages in order to enable the accelerated delivery of housing on key development sites in urban areas with high demand for housing.
A call for proposals was issued to all local authorities in August 2016. It was open to all local authorities to apply for funding towards the capital cost of public infrastructure, which, when provided, would secure the early delivery of additional housing at considerable scale and more affordable price points, with developments in excess of 500 units in the Dublin area, or in excess of 200 units in areas outside Dublin.
Twenty-one local authorities submitted a total of 74 proposals in October 2016. On 28 March 2017, I announced funding for 34 projects under LIHAF. The cost of these projects is €226.46 million, of which €169.65 million would be funded under LIHAF with local authorities funding the remaining €56.81 million. These public infrastructure projects will be key to the delivery of 23,000 housing units over the next four years, with a longer term projection of up to 70,000 units as the selected sites are fully built out.
South Dublin County Council received approval for infrastructure projects at Adamstown, Corkagh Grange and Clonburris. The total cost of these projects is €27.39 million, of which €20.54 million will be funded by my Department and South Dublin County Council will provide €6.85 million. Drawdown of the funding will take place in the period to 2019. These projects are expected to deliver 3,000 housing units by 2021 and have the potential to support 11,500 housing units in the longer term, once the sites are fully built out.
148. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the policy in place within Galway County Council and local authorities in the decision-making process for short-listed eligible applicants for social housing in which there is a conflict of interest between officials and applicants. [17267/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.
Further to this, the allocation of social housing support is a matter for individual housing authorities in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated regulations. While the 2009 Act provides the Minister with limited powers to issue directions and guidance to authorities as to the performance of their housing functions, Section 6 of the 2009 Act specifically precludes the Minister from intervening in individual housing cases.
The governance structure established by the Chief Executive in Galway County Council for decision making in relation to the allocation of social housing to short-listed eligible applicants, means that all decision making rests with an Allocations Committee. The Allocations Committee is comprised of senior staff, drawn from various disciplines within the Housing Unit, including the Senior Executive Officer/Administrative Officer, Housing Liaison Officers, Traveller Liaison Officer and Social Workers, as appropriate. In the event that a conflict of interest arises it is declared and the Committee is aware of the conflict of interest in collectively reaching a decision.
Galway County Council has a complaints procedure in place should an individual be dissatisfied with any aspect of a service provided by the local authority. Details of this procedure are available on the Galway County Council website.
It is important to note that Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001, sets out the ethical framework applicable to the local government sector, including providing a statutory basis for a code of conduct that has been issued to all local authority employees. In the ordinary course of events, it would be a matter for the relevant local authority, in the first instance, to investigate any allegations of malpractice regarding the operation of its housing allocation system. Subject to the outcome of any such investigation, it would then be for the local authority to consider what further action, either internally or by way of referring the matter to other relevant appropriate authorities, may be required.
149. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if potential tenants for social housing are Garda vetted prior to being offered social housing; the normal timeframe and assessment criteria selected by the local authority, that is, if there are child protection issues, a criminal record and so on; the expiry time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17268/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe application form for social housing support prescribed by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 requires applicants to provide details of any convictions under a number of specified statutes relating to anti-social behaviour and public order offences. Under Section 14 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997, a housing authority may refuse to allocate or defer the allocation of a dwelling to a person where the authority considers that the person is or has been engaged in anti-social behaviour or that an allocation to that person would not be in the interest of good estate management.
Section 15 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 provides that local authorities may for the purposes of their functions under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2009, request and obtain information from another housing authority or a specified person, in relation to the occupants or prospective occupants of, or applicants for, local authority housing, or any other person it considers may be engaged in anti-social behaviour. A "specified person" in this instance includes a member of An Garda Síochána.
When applying for social housing support, a household is required to complete the declaration contained in the prescribed application form confirming, inter alia, that it authorises the housing authority to make whatever enquiries it considers necessary to verify details of an application.
The assessment of households for social housing support, and the allocation of that support to qualified households is a matter for individual housing authorities in accordance with the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated regulations. Decisions on whether to seek information from An Garda Síochána or other bodies for the assessment and allocation of social housing support, and the type of information sought, is a matter for individual housing authorities. As Minister, I am precluded by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) 2009 Act from intervening in relation to the procedures followed, or decisions made, by housing authorities in the assessment of households, the allocation of particular dwellings and the provision of social housing supports.
150. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if there has been a change in policy for charitable organisations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17282/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commissioner for Valuation has sole responsibility for all valuation matters except appeals of valuation procedures set out under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015 which come under the remit of an independent Valuation Tribunal. The Valuation Acts come under the aegis of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality.
Local authorities are under a statutory obligation to levy rates on any property used for commercial purposes in accordance with the details entered in the valuation lists prepared by the independent Commissioner of Valuation under the Valuation Acts 2001 to 2015. The Valuation Acts provide that certain categories of properties are not rateable. Details of these properties are set out in Schedule 4 of the Acts and include a property occupied by a charity exclusively for charitable purposes and otherwise than for private profit. This exemption would not include retail activity. There has been no change in the policy in this regard.
151. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will bring forward an amendment to the Electoral Act 1992 to allow United Kingdom nationals resident here maintain their right to vote in European Parliament elections following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17307/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCitizenship of the European Union is provided for under Article 20 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and is applicable to all persons who are nationals of the 28 Member States that currently comprise the European Union. EU citizenship is additional to, and does not replace, national citizenship. Under Article 20 of the Treaty, a number of specific rights are conferred on EU citizens, including the right to vote at, and stand as candidates in, elections to the European Parliament and in municipal elections in the Member State of their residence, under the same conditions that apply to nationals of that State.
Persons who are not nationals of Member States that comprise the European Union are not entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament. Nevertheless, the specific impacts of the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union on European citizenship and the right to vote at elections of the European Parliament will ultimately be a matter to be determined within the negotiating process that will take place between the United Kingdom and the European Union under Article 50 of the Treaty. Therefore, it is not possible at this point in time to state what arrangements will apply into the future between the United Kingdom and the European Union in the matter of European citizenship and the rights pertaining thereto.
I do not currently propose, therefore, to bring forward any amendments to section 9(b) of the Electoral Act 1992. That section provides for a person who has reached the age of eighteen and is ordinarily resident in a constituency, who is a citizen of Ireland or a national of another Member State of the European Union, to be registered as a European elector.
152. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the income criteria that currently apply in the qualifying criteria for local authority housing; the date when the criteria were last adjusted; the full income criteria applying before the last adjustment; and the specific statutory basis for making changes to these income criteria. [17319/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current income limits which apply for eligibility for social housing support are prescribed by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended by the Social Housing Assessment (Amendment) Regulations 2011 and the Social Housing Assessment (Amendment) Regulations 2016, made under sections 3, 20 and 32 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.
The regulations prescribe the maximum net income limits which may be set by each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy. The current limits of €35,000, €30,000 and €25,000 are for a single-person household, depending on the local authority area concerned. These limits reflect a blanket increase in the limits of €5,000 which was introduced prior to the commencement of the 2011 Regulations on 1 April 2011, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn and thereby promote sustainable communities.
A table setting out the details of the three bands and the limits currently applicable in each housing authority area is available on my Department's website at the following link:http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/table_with_2016_income_limits.pdf.
Income is defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy which was issued by the Minister under Regulation 17 of the 2011 Regulations. The Policy sets out the manner in which housing authorities are to assess the means of any household seeking social housing support. Net income is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI and the universal social charge. The policy defines the types of income to be taken into consideration when assessing eligibility for social housing support. Authorities do have discretion to disregard income that is considered to be temporary, short-term or once off in nature and which is outside the regular pattern of a person's income.
There have been no adjustments to the maximum limits of €25,000, €30,000 and €35,000 or the Household Means Policy since 2011. The merger of the Waterford city and county councils necessitated the introduction of a common limit of €30,000 for the new administrative area of Waterford City and County Council, in view of the different limits applicable in the former city and county areas pre - merger. This change was introduced via the Social Housing Assessment (Amendment) Regulations 2016.
A review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda set out in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, is scheduled to commence later this year.
