Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Different local authorities operate different disregards in different ways when it comes to calculating income for persons who qualify for social housing. There are different thresholds in different parts of the country. Each local authority will examine household income and, depending on the types of social welfare payment of which people are in receipt, disregard them to make sure we are doing what we want to do in the provision of social housing, which is to make sure a home is available for those who need it the most. The reduction in the housing list in the past two to three years is due to the increase in social housing stock. That is what is driving the reduction in housing lists. For those who no longer qualify for social housing, that is where the affordability scheme comes in, with affordable homes to buy and rent.

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