Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 February 2025
423. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he plans to raise the income threshold for social housing qualification in Tipperary from its current base of €30,000 per annum for a single person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5673/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra436. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to increase the income thresholds for social housing support in 2025 to bring them in line with general wage/income increases since they were last adjusted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5826/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 436 together.
Housing for All includes a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing. From this review, completed in November 2021, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties. Government also agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds thus increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The review further recommended the commissioning of research to develop options for a revised or new social housing income eligibility model. My Department received this detailed research, commissioned by the Housing Agency. The scope of the research included examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and population conditions and the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced. My Department is now undertaking a detailed examination of the report, in order to develop a new social housing income eligibility model in line with the Housing for All Action Plan update. This detailed examination will include consultation with stakeholders and will look at, inter alia, how the social housing income limits system interacts with other housing supports and ensure that they continue to target households correctly.
