We use Google Analytics to see which pages are read and how the site is used, so we know what to improve. This only runs if you accept. See our privacy notice for details.

Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions

Social housing eligibility after separation

Summary

The Deputy raised a separated mother just above the social-housing income threshold who may have to reduce her working hours; the Taoiseach said the Minister is examining similar cases and will report to the House.

I agree Hannah was the star of the show and that whole group and that powerful moment of inclusion was really special.

I welcome the Taoiseach's comments. I am happy to hear that he is talking about family composition. Councillor Donna Sheridan also contacted me. She is working at present with a separated single mother with two children who is trying to leave the family home. The mother is only slightly above the threshold but does not qualify for social housing. She is looking at her options. Does she ask her boss to reduce her hours so that she can come under the threshold, does she stay in the family home where things have broken down, or does she potentially accept substandard housing or move away from her community? She is salaried at €36,000 and, even with the allowances for her children, she does not qualify. Councillor Sheridan put it strongly when she said that we are excluding from social housing our SNAs, our carers and the people who keep the backbone of the country going, and we really need to increase the thresholds. I am glad to go back to the housing SPC and say that the Taoiseach agrees with and is moving towards that.

Comment on this

Indeed, I must pay tribute to Councillor Sean Carey as well for the leadership he gave to the council at the weekend.

One of the challenges is that somebody could be on a list for four years, five years or even longer in cities and then an increase in income could suddenly take them out of the eligibility. We have to watch that as well. The Minister is examining it and will come back to us with his proposals on this. The Minister will come back to the House on that because there are many cases similar to what the Deputy articulated and illustrated. That is the general direction of travel that we want to go in as a Government.

Comment on this