John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 484: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has issued regulations or guidelines covering the letting of local authority houses which local authorities are obliged to follow; if so, the way in which these regulations and guidelines were drawn up; the persons who were consulted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18248/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a matter for individual local authorities to decide on the allocation of houses to various categories of needs on their waiting lists in accordance with their schemes of letting priorities. The making of a scheme of letting priorities by local authorities is a reserved function in accordance with section 11 of the Housing Act 1988. Guidelines were issued to local authorities in 1989 on the preparation of schemes of letting priorities. The guidelines indicate that it should be the aim of a scheme of letting priorities to promote equality of opportunity in getting access to local authority housing based on relative housing needs to ensure that a dwelling, if suitable, is let to the person in greatest need and to ensure that no category of needy persons is at a permanent disadvantage when compared with other categories.