Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the application form for housing at present in use by local authorities; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that it is at least 23 pages long; if his attention has further been drawn to the literacy difficulties suffered by many applicants; if local authorities are obliged to use this particular application form; if so, if a simpler shorter and more easily understood form could be produced for further use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7404/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with section 9 of the Housing Act 1988, an assessment of need for local authority housing took place on 31 March 2005. This assessment was the most accurate to date and required local authorities to submit their returns in electronic format to the local government computer services board, LGCSB, which then entered it onto a data warehouse.

In order to ensure a consistency of information gathered and in prospect of the development and implementation of a standardised integrated housing solution by the LGCSB, my Department, in co-operation with a number of local authorities and the LGCSB, combined to develop a new generic housing application form for use by local authorities. The form is very comprehensive and covers all information necessary for the consideration of a housing application.

The details in this form will enable local authorities to better formulate their house building programmes. All of the information requested on this new form is easily obtainable by housing applicants. Where information such as a PPS number is requested, my Department has requested that local authorities provide the relevant local telephone number to obtain this information. In preparing the form, my Department was aware of its users, both housing applicants and housing authorities, and took great care to ensure it was designed in a user-friendly and comprehensible manner. It is not proposed to amend this form at this time.