Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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1618. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will change the income assessment guidelines for housing needs assessments to disregard family income supplement on the grounds that this income support is paid to households whose own income falls below levels the Government deems acceptable and, therefore, should not be taken into account when determining a household's housing need. [35056/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, prescribe maximum net income limits for each housing authority, in different bands according to the area, with income being defined and assessed according to a standard Household Means Policy.

The income bands and the authority area assigned to each band were based on an assessment of the income needed to provide for a household's basic needs, plus a comparative analysis of the local rental cost of housing accommodation across the country. The limits also reflect a blanket increase of €5,000 introduced prior to the new system coming into operation, in order to broaden the base from which social housing tenants are drawn and thereby promote sustainable communities.

Under the Household Means Policy, which applies in all housing authorities, net income for social housing assessment is defined as gross household income less income tax, PRSI and the universal social charge. Most payments received from the Department of Social Protection are assessable, including Family Income Supplement. The Policy provides for a range of income disregards, and housing authorities also have discretion to decide to disregard income that is temporary, short-term or once off.

As part of the broader social housing reform agenda, a review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports is scheduled to commence later this year.