Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The Respond announcement about plans for just under 3,000 new cost-rental homes by next September is very welcome. However, a problem was highlighted to me by Jane, who is a single mum with one child. She is working and earns €42,000 net and is, therefore, over the threshold of income for social housing. Her income is not sufficient, however, to allow her to pay the rent according to the guidelines for cost rental.

Jimmy, a single dad with two children, who earns €46,000 net, is over the social housing income threshold. He should be eligible for the cost-rental scheme but is not because the rent for the cost rental is too high for his income. Rent is supposed to be no more than 35% of a person's income. The scheme does not align with the incomes of those for whom it is supposed to be providing cost-rental housing. I have made this point previously. These are just two examples and I could give the Taoiseach more. There is a problem that needs to be addressed. These people are being left in limbo.

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