Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

316. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government with regards to those families and individuals who were removed from the council housing lists as a result of income limits but who found themselves back under the limits in January when the limits were increased; the exact dates that apply for applicants getting their time back when they are put back on the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15306/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Government increased the baseline social housing income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

Applications assessed and decided upon prior to 1 January 2023 but which were deemed to exceed the thresholds in place prior to 1 January but which may meet the new income thresholds, can be resubmitted by applicants.

In the interests of fairness and equity, applicants who may have been removed from the local authority waiting list between 18 November 2021 and 31 December 2022, but who qualify under the new thresholds, can retain the time already accrued and which would subsequently have accrued on the social housing waiting list. Formal direction on this matter was issued by my Department to local authorities in Ministerial Guidelines in December 2022.

These arrangements will remain in place until 30 June 2023. The six-month period will give sufficient time for affected households to reapply.