Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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87. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his proposals to amend the social housing income thresholds.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24037/24]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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94. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will increase the income eligibility limits for social housing for areas such as Cavan and Monaghan as the present limits are unrealistic and are depriving families on relatively low incomes the opportunity to apply for social housing when in such instances these families will not meet the criteria for home loans or mortgages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24363/24]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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132. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will increase social housing income thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24417/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 94 and 132 together.

Housing for All, first published in Q3 2021, set out a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing.

From this review, it was recommended moving five local authorities from Band 3 to Band 2, ensuring the income eligibility thresholds better reflect housing costs in those counties. Government also agreed to increase the baseline income thresholds by €5,000 for all local authorities with effect from 1 January 2023. The thresholds thus increased to €40,000, €35,000 and €30,000 for bands 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

The review further recommended the commissioning of research to develop options for a revised or new social housing income eligibility model. My Department recently received this detailed research, commissioned by the Housing Agency. The scope of the research included examining the existing income limits in the context of current market and population conditions and the suitability or otherwise of the current framework having regard to the significantly changed landscape since the standardised income limits were introduced.

My Department will now undertake a detailed examination of the report, in order to develop a new social housing income eligibility model by Q4 2024 in line with the Housing for All Action Plan update. This detailed examination will include consultation with stakeholders and will look at, inter alia, how the social housing income limits system interacts with other housing supports and ensure that they continue to target households correctly.