Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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219. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the review his Department is undertaking with regard to facilitating inter-county social housing transfers; if this review will be progressed in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27286/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Requests for housing transfers are considered solely by the relevant local authority concerned in accordance with that authority’s allocation scheme, which is made by the elected members under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and in compliance with Social Housing Allocation Regulations 2011.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing housing applicants, taking into account factors such as the condition and affordability of existing accommodation, medical and compassionate grounds, etc. The authority then prioritises the needs of approved applicants in accordance with its allocation scheme. Ultimately, it is a matter for the local authority to decide the conditions to be met in relation to transfer applications.

All four Dublin authorities have provisions in their allocation schemes for inter authority/mutual transfers for sitting tenants whereby the authority is prepared to accommodate applications for inter authority/mutual transfers provided certain criteria are met. Similar arrangements apply in other local authorities, such arrangements are entirely a matter for the local authority concerned.

Wider tenancy movements will be examined this year and I will consider any proposals regarding such movements in the context of other reform package measures.