Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand the Deputy's concerns and have noted many points he has raised, which I will bring back to the Minister. I am satisfied that the current income limit generally provides for a fair and equal system of identifying those households unable to provide accommodation from their own resources. These limits generally provide that a household in receipt of social welfare will not breach the threshold. I refer to the fact that the 2016 summary of social housing assessment reported that, of households on waiting lists nationally, slightly more than two thirds or 67% were entirely dependent on social welfare. I am also satisfied that these income bands and the authority area assigned to each band are based on the true access of income needed to provide for a household base, as well as on the comprehensive analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country.

However, as the Minister has indicated, the issues raised today will be examined as part of the ongoing review of the social housing assessment process that is under way, which will consider whether there are disparities across local authority housing that discriminate unfairly against certain classes of household. I know that the Minister, Deputy Coveney, would be happy to consider any general issues of which the Deputy is aware. However, the Minister is precluded from becoming involved in a specified application for housing to a local authority.

I also express my concern to Deputy Ó Laoghaire. I myself have met many young people in a predicament in which they may be a little over the threshold at which social housing is provided and find that they cannot be included on the list. On a personal basis, I will certainly raise the issue with the Minister myself. I apologise again that he cannot be here this afternoon.

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