Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021
20. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide a social housing passport in order that persons can move for work, family reasons and so on, to different local authority areas without losing any time on the housing list. [54640/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government provides for a package of social housing reforms, including the introduction of a social housing passport to allow households move from one local authority waiting list to another.
There is already a degree of flexibility with regard to waiting lists. The four Dublin local authorities already co-operate in arrangements that enable social housing applicants to apply for housing in one or two of the other Dublin authorities simultaneously. The household can therefore be eligible to receive offers of a social housing dwelling from any of the three authorities. Similar arrangements apply in the two Cork and two Galway local authorities.
It is also already possible for households to move and relocate between housing authority areas under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Scheme where there is agreement between the two housing authorities concerned and where the household income is within the appropriate income limits.
The issue of providing for wider mobility is being examined and further consultation with the local authority sector will be carried out. To date local authorities have indicated that the demand for such a scheme is likely to be low and that the operation of such a scheme would present significant administrative issues for the sector.
I will look at proposals in relation to such wider movement in due course along with the other reform package measures.
