Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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158. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the direction to local authorities will issue to allow victims and survivors of domestic abuse to move from one local authority list to another and retain their years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17577/26]

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister will be aware that last month, as I have done many times before, I raised the issue of victims and survivors of domestic abuse being able to carry time they have accrued on waiting lists from one local authority to another, primarily where that is necessary for their own safety and that of their children. The Tánaiste confirmed that the Minister would be issuing a direction to rectify this. I am looking for an update on that.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for her question in relation to this matter. Supporting individuals and families who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing homelessness, including victims and survivors of domestic abuse, is very much a priority for me, my Department and the Government. The response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is a cross-departmental multi-agency issue, with the Department of justice co-ordinating overall policy. Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims rests with my colleague the Minister for justice, working in conjunction with Cuan, the statutory domestic, sexual and gender-based violence agency, which is under the remit of the Department of justice.

It is currently not possible for a household that was previously on one social housing waiting list to carry over the time spent on that list when applying to another local authority. However, in line with a commitment in the housing plan, a protocol to allow households fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to transfer time spent on a social housing waiting list to another local authority will be established and implemented this year. My Department has already engaged with local authorities and the County and City Management Association to develop this protocol. The structures to progress this commitment are in place. This includes a dedicated group of local authority directors of housing, which is working with my Department to ensure the protocol is workable, meets the needs of those who can benefit from it and is finalised as soon as possible.

Notwithstanding this commitment, local authorities will prioritise allocations to those households they consider to be most in need at any moment in time. Local authorities may also provide for exceptional or emergency cases, allowing immediate housing for qualified households outside of normal waiting list priorities should circumstances require. Households may also move and relocate between housing authority areas under the housing assistance payment, HAP, scheme where the household income is within the relevant income limits.

Furthermore, in 2017, my Department issued policy and procedural guidance to local authorities on the role they can play in assisting victims and survivors of domestic violence. The issuing of this 2017 policy guidance was a significant action under the section national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, which was for the period 2016 to 2021. It has since played an important role in addressing the housing needs of victims.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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That is not exactly what the Tánaiste said. He said, "the Minister for housing has said he will issue a direction to all local authorities to make sure that issue is rectified." It should have taken the Minister two seconds rather than two minutes to answer. Either it is going to issue or it is not. What the Minister is saying is that a protocol is being developed. That is very welcome, but the Minister might provide some clarity in his follow-up. It seemed there was a little bit of slippage there as regards the normal rules on allocation applying. I know exactly how houses are allocated, as does the Minister.

I have used the example of a woman in my own constituency and I am going to use it again. I do not know how many names I have now used for her. Jesus, I will nearly use the woman's correct name; I have raised the issue that many times. Let us call her Margaret for the moment. Margaret has been on the Dublin City Council housing list for almost 13 and half years. She is about to be housed in the area where her former partner, who is out of prison after nearly killing her, is living. She cannot go back there. The Garda has told her not to. While she waits for the protocol to be developed and possibly issued at some point, what should she do?

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I assure the Deputy that there is no slippage on this. This will be established and implemented this year. Once the protocols are finalised, I will be issuing that direction to the local authorities to ensure that people can travel from one local authority to another when fleeing domestic violence without losing time spent on the first authority's list. In fairness, I have generally found my own local authority quite reasonable and understanding in this regard. However, there has been an inconsistency across local authorities. We want to ensure we are not dependent on the views of an individual director of services or head of housing. We want consistency right across every local authority so that, when people are fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, there will be a level of compassion and understanding. As I have said, people will not have to depend on compassion and understanding; rather, they will have this as a right.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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I fully agree with the Minister. The officials I deal with in Fingal County Council lack neither understanding nor capacity but they do lack basic direction from the Government. As the Minister has said, basic and all as this is, it will take at least until this year to get that done, although it is welcome. As I have said, it is an issue I have raised many times. The Minister will be aware of it. It is not going to affect a huge number of people but it will have a serious impact for some people. I trust it is in order to send my own local authority a transcript of this debate to show that this is coming because I do not want this woman to lose out for the sake of a couple of weeks. I hope the council will be able to fully adhere to the protocol when it is issued.

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I recognise that the Deputy has raised this on many occasions. She has been very consistent on it. This protocol is coming. It would be welcome if, in anticipation of the protocol, local authorities accepted what they know is now going to come.