Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I move amendment No. 34:

In page 17, subsection (4), between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following:

"(h) additional needs of the household including medical, education, social, and cultural needs required to promote social inclusion and the development of sustainable communities.".

This amendment is more substantial than the previous one. It inserts a new subsection (4)(h) in section 20 with the purpose of broadening the definition of need to include medical, education, social and cultural needs. It addresses how the authorities carry out needs assessments and has a similar purpose as amendment No. 33 in that it aims to ensure authorities make a comprehensive needs assessment to allocate accommodation which is appropriate to the needs of individual households. It also requires local authorities to consider the promotion of social inclusion and the development of sustainable communities, which are important aims to include in this legislation. It is important housing authorities would have regard to those aims.

The Minister of State has said that some considerations clearly are built into section 20 already. I am seeking to make them more explicitly thus. I do not think anyone would disagree with the rationale for this proposed amendment, although the Minister of State may not wish to accept it. The aim of the amendment simply is to make explicit something which is an underlying theme already in this legislation. I welcome that and do not want to appear to be critical in a non-constructive way. I am seeking simply to make more explicit the need to ensure needs assessments are carried out comprehensively and in a way which takes into account of all the needs of the household and which ultimately will promote social inclusion and the development of sustainable communities.