Housing Policy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2023

Tuesday, 28 March 2023

Ceisteanna (294, 312)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

294. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the appeals process for medical priority housing decisions; and what the rights of applicants are to appeal. [15068/23]

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

312. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 494 of 21 March 2023, if he will provide more specific information on the existing internal complaints and appeals systems within local authorities, particularly in relation to appealing decisions regarding medical priority for housing applications; if he will consider implementing a standardised and transparent appeal mechanism at the national level to ensure consistency and fairness for all applicants seeking medical priority for housing support; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15248/23]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Darragh O'Brien)

The management and operation of the social housing system is a matter solely for local authorities in accordance with the Housing Acts and associated Regulations. This includes all matters relating to complaints/ appeals arrangements, including medical priority for housing applications.

Any person who is dissatisfied with services provided by a local authority, including a decision regarding them or which did not consider all relevant facts, may make a complaint to the local authority concerned. Information on the respective complaints/ appeals mechanisms is available on each local authority website.

A complaint may also be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman, which can examine complaints about the everyday performance of the executive and administrative functions by local authorities, including housing assessments and allocations. That said, a complainant must first seek to resolve the problem at local level through the relevant local authority's complaints and appeals system. Thereafter, if they remain dissatisfied with the outcome, a complaint may be made to the Ombudsman.

Further details are available on the Ombudsman’s website at the following link: www.ombudsman.ie/publications/information-leaflets/the-ombudsman-and-local-a/

Question No. 295 answered with Question No. 293.

Question No. 296 answered with Question No. 293.

Question No. 297 answered with Question No. 293.