Housing income limits
Deputy Fitzpatrick criticises the low income threshold that removes couples from local authority housing lists once earnings exceed €36,000. The Tánaiste says income limits are being reviewed and will likely need to rise with housing costs.
Today, I would like to raise a very important issue that my constituency office is dealing with on a daily basis. As my colleagues will be aware, there is a serious problem with housing in this country and an ever-increasing demand for social housing. There is also another problem occurring, that is, the fact that a married couple who are on the local authority housing list will automatically be removed from the list once their earnings exceed €36,000. The first issue I have with this is that the limit is too small and not realistic. If you are €1 over, you are off the list. It is black or white. You could be on the list six or seven years, but you will be off the list in these circumstances.
This creates another problem, that is, in certain cases people are turning down jobs where their earnings will exceed the threshold. We have a situation in this country where a certain sector is crying out for workers yet its workers are reluctant to take these jobs because they fear that they will be removed from the local authority housing list. I ask the Government to look on this situation as a matter of urgency and come back with proposals that will allow these people to take the available jobs and remain on the housing list. This is the only opportunity they have of getting a house. They want to work, but €1 over the limit and you are gone.
Comment on this
I suppose it is always the difficulty with any kind of system that involves a means test or threshold. If we do not give social housing to everyone, which, of course, is not possible, we have to set some sort of income limit and set of rules.
There will be always someone who is €1 or €10 above the threshold regardless of where it is set.
The income limits are being reviewed. They have not been increased for a long time, yet the cost of housing has increased dramatically. I anticipate that we will have to raise the limits. We should raise them to take account of the rising cost of housing.
I take the Deputy's point. It is perverse that people would turn down employment or pay increases or not work extra hours because of the fear of losing their places on the housing list or their medical cards. Unfortunately, though, that is the reality for many people. This is why we are reviewing those limits.