Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the representatives of the voluntary housing associations and thank them for their presentations. The need for social housing is sometimes mentioned in the same sentence as the need for housing. The need for social housing has increased because of the collapse in the economy. More people have moved into the lower income bracket. Is the income threshold to qualify for social housing at an unrealistically low level? It is €25,500 for a couple with children in some counties.

There are those on such incomes, and up to €40,000 or €45,000, who cannot buy and would never have any hope of buying. What should happen to that lower middle income group? Do the witnesses see the need to move the income threshold upwards? In regard to local authorities, approximately €24,000 or €25,000 is provided by the voluntary housing sector through the various packages. Local authorities continue to be the major provider but not of new builds. Do the witnesses see local authorities continuing to play a major role in the provision of social housing, with the voluntary housing associations having a separate role, given that they have access to separate sources of funding?