Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage published a review of income eligibility for social housing support this week, which is a choice time, given that the budget would of course dominate the news cycle. The result of this report is that thresholds for social housing will rise in only five of the 31 local authority areas. This should be extended to all local authorities. I know of many constituents in County Wexford who work full-time but are sleeping on couches, going to work from bed and breakfasts or living with their elderly parents, and I even know of one person who is sleeping in a shed, all because they are barely over the income threshold for support for their housing need. When is the Government going to realise the scale of this awful social problem and act to raise the income thresholds in County Wexford and in other local authority areas? People who are barely over the threshold are trapped in a financial twilight zone and need help now.

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