Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 389: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the reason local authorities have different maximum income thresholds which prevents applicants from inclusion on the social housing list and the steps he will take to create uniformity in the system. [26308/10]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 390: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the maximum income threshold of each of the local authorities here which is preventing applicants from being included on the social housing list. [26309/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 390 together.

It is a matter for each housing authority to determine, in accordance with section 9 of the Housing Act 1988, whether a household is or is not reasonably able to meet the cost of the accommodation which they are occupying or to obtain suitable alternative accommodation. Guidance issued to housing authorities by my Department in relation to the statutory assessment of housing needs advised that an appropriate criterion for assessing a household's income be set in each authority. The guidance suggested that a suitable basis for determining access to social housing for a household, having regard to the household's family circumstances and local housing costs, was the ability to: service an appropriate housing loan; avail of the affordable housing or shared ownership schemes; or obtain privately rented accommodation.

Notwithstanding this, the Housing (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act 2009, enacted in August 2009, provides for a new housing needs assessment process, replacing section 9 of the Housing Act 1988, which currently governs the assessment of need. Regulations are currently in preparation in my Department which will give detailed effect to the new needs assessment process.

Section 20 of the 2009 Housing Act provides that the Minister may, by regulation, set an income threshold for access to social housing support. The income threshold will define the boundary between what a household can be expected to provide for from its own resources through renting / purchasing on the private market and what cannot reasonably be afforded. Thresholds set in relation to income eligibility will also take account of varying levels of affordability between authorities. This approach should ensure a more standardised and consistent approach to income assessment by housing authorities. It is envisaged that these Regulations will be made, and section 20 of the Act will be commenced, in September 2010.