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Social and Affordable Housing Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019

Tuesday, 15 January 2019

Ceisteanna (1125, 1144)

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

1125. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if the review of social housing support household means policy will be expedited; the steps he will take as part of this review to examine the situation of the working homeless that are debarred from accessing council housing and the housing assistance payment (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54075/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

1144. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if an applicant may be removed by a local authority from the social housing list if a temporary maternity benefit payment renders them in excess of the income threshold requirement; if so, if this situation will be reviewed; and if a previous time spent on the housing waiting list by a person will be lost in the event that a temporary maternity benefit payment leads to their removal from the list. [54559/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1125 and 1144 together.

The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 prescribe maximum net income limits for each local authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy.

Under the Household Means Policy, local authorities have discretion to disregard income that is once-off, temporary or short-term in nature and which is outside the regular pattern of a person's annual income.

The day-to-day operation of the social housing system is a matter for the relevant local authority and local authorities are by law (Section 63(1) of the Local Government Act 2001) independent in the performance of their functions. As Minister, I am precluded by housing legislation from intervening in relation to the decisions made by local authorities in the provision of social housing support in relation to any individual application.

At present, the Household Means Policy is being reviewed as part of the broader social housing reform agenda, and I expect an updated version to issue to local authorities later this year.

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