David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this topic and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Burke, for being present to respond. This topic arises as a result of a family approaching me. I am sure colleagues have had similar cases where the principal earner is over the limit and cannot get a mortgage because of age, and where the income in the household is above €53,000. I welcome the tenant in situscheme. It is a very good scheme and I have directed quite a number of constituents towards it and it seems to be working quite well. In this case, however, the family cannot get a mortgage, their income is higher than the limit for the scheme, and they have to leave their home.

As in similar cases, there are adult children in the household. They will move out eventually but their income is also taken into account. In cases like this, I ask that the income of the adult children be disregarded. This would make a difference to a certain number of people who have worked hard all of their lives and who now find themselves in this position. In one particular case I am dealing with, there are adult children, including an adult child who has a disability. I am aware that the carer's allowance is disregarded, which is good.

I am looking for some clarity with regard to adult children who are in households. There are other circumstances where older tenants cannot get a mortgage, their houses are being sold, they have to move and they cannot find anywhere else to go. Perhaps the Minister of State will be able to tell me how many of these cases there are. Has the Department looked at this? I am aware that there must be an upper income limit at some point but perhaps €53,000 is a little bit low. In particular where there are adult children in the household, this may be something the Government could look at and disregard their income. The children might soon be moving out, maybe to go to college or to an apprenticeship. We all know young people want to move out.Their income should not be taken into account in circumstances like this.

I look forward to the Minister of State's response on this. It is a small niche issue that could be resolved quite easily by disregarding the income of adult children.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Under Housing for All, the Government will deliver 47,600 new build social homes and 3,500 social homes through long-term leasing in the period 2022 to 2026. Our clear focus is to increase the stock of social housing through new build projects delivered by local authorities and approved housing bodies. In light of the number of landlords exiting the market this year, the Government has agreed that there will be increased provision for social housing acquisitions. Local authorities will be funded to deliver at least 1,500 social housing acquisitions, which is 1,300 higher than the original Housing for All target. These additional acquisitions will be focused on local authorities on properties where a HAP or RAS tenant has received a notice of termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. Local authorities have delegated sanction to deliver the 1,300 additional acquisitions, subject to those acquisitions being within acquisition cost guidelines.

The Government has also introduced a new scheme, the cost rental tenant in situscheme, for tenants who are not eligible for social housing supports but who are at risk of homelessness due to the landlord's intention to sell their rental property. This scheme is being administered by the Housing Agency.

Government policy in relation to housing for older people, is set out in Housing for All: A New Housing Plan for Ireland, and outlines measures to support people to live with dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible, to allow them to age in place close to their families, friends and in their community.

Pathway 2 of Housing for All commits to expanding the housing options available for older persons, building on the work done under the 2019 joint policy statement, Housing Options for our Ageing Population, the objective of which is to provide housing options for older people to facilitate ageing in place, in their own homes and communities, with dignity and independence, and deliver an appropriate range of housing and related support services, in an integrated and sustainable manner.

Under Housing for All, local authorities have prepared a housing development action plan, setting out details of social and affordable housing delivery over the period 2022 to 2026. This includes details of the location of projects and housing typologies, including housing for older people. Social housing for older people is delivered across a range of models, including the social housing capital investment programme, SHCIP, the capital advance leasing facility, CALF, and the capital assistance scheme. A total of €96 million of capital funding was provided 2022 for the capital assistance scheme and increased to €137 million in 2023. This funding is being provided to approved housing bodies for the further development of housing for priority categories of housing need, including older people.

As for the Deputy's critical point regarding the calculation of income for adult children, I will raise that directly with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and revert to him.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for outlining what is being done and what the plans are. The Government is certainly moving on this very critical issue of housing, as I can see in my area, where a lot of new starts are occurring and people are being offered houses, which was not the case previously.

I thank him also for promising to revert to me with respect to the critical issue I raised. I asked a parliamentary question on this and the response stated, "If household incomes are above the limit to be eligible for the Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ Scheme, tenants can contact their local authority who will be in a position to advise them of other measures which may be appropriate for their specific situation." We are not sure what those other measures are, so perhaps the Minister of State can revert to me on that. The critical point is that if adult children, whether students or apprentices, are living in the house, they will move out soon. They will not be the main tenants paying the rent and whatever income they have should be disregarded, which would allow the core family to remain in the house if the Housing Agency or the local authority can purchase the house, as the tenant in situscheme envisages. It is a modest proposal that would not affect many people but would make a huge difference to the small number it would affect. When a scheme such as this excellent one is started, we are bound to come across anomalies, and it is our job to come to the House, point them out and ask that they be addressed. I look forward to the Minister of State's response in due course.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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It is critical the Government supports older people to live independently in their community. I will convey to the Minister the queries the Deputy raised regarding measures in respect of the local authority. It is important we keep pace with housing delivery because it is critical for our communities, as can be seen in all our communities, where we as a Government can point to housing developments at scale. Builders are delivering those massive housing developments and that is so important for our communities. Obviously, for those with current tenancies who are under pressure for whatever reason, it is vital, as the Deputy noted, to respond to those needs because there can be very particular needs in that regard. I will undertake to speak to the Minister on the issue.