Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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1502. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if it is possible to transfer the amount of time spent on a housing waiting list in local authority to another if a person moves; if this is not possible, if he will consider making any necessary changes to facilitate same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31986/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Under the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, it is not possible for a household to apply to more than one housing authority for social housing support at a time. Furthermore, it is not possible for a household on the waiting list of one housing authority to transfer its application to another authority and to carry the time spent on the previous list. In respect of applicants in Dublin, Cork and Galway it is possible for a qualified household, once entered on the waiting list of one authority in the County, to also be entered simultaneously on another authority’s waiting list within the same County. In Cork and Galway this allows applicants to be simultaneously on the City Council and County Council waiting lists. In relation to Dublin, applicants can be on lists in up to 2 other local authorities.

The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 , published on 26 November, includes a commitment to examine the possibility of introducing a “housing passport”. This measure has the potential to allow households in receipt of, or qualified for, social housing support in one local authority area to transfer to, or be allocated, social housing in another local authority area for reasons such as availing of employment opportunities. The “passport” proposal is being examined as part of the review of the assessment and allocation process in line with commitments under the Strategy.