Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, was in Kerry yesterday, outlining the housing strategy to deal with the housing crisis. However, more needs to be done before many of these actions or policies will work. Yesterday, the Minister said if elderly people moved in with a son or a daughter, they could then rent their house to the local authority and it could become available for social housing. This announcement has been queried by many elderly people since. Having inquired into this, I note the pension entitlements for a person on a non-contributory pension taking up this offer would be affected. What the Minister spoke about will not become a reality if he does not provide an incentive. Why would a person on a non-contributory pension give up their house for this leasing scheme if no incentive is provided? No elderly people will harm their pension if some incentive is not provided.

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