Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

423. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to raise the income threshold for social housing qualification in Tipperary from its current base of €30,000 per annum for a single person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5673/25]

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

436. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he intends to increase the income thresholds for social housing support in 2025 to bring them in line with general wage/income increases since they were last adjusted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5826/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 436 together.

Housing for All includes a commitment to review income eligibility for social housing. From this review, completed in November 2021, 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 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 is now undertaking a detailed examination of the report, in order to develop a new social housing income eligibility model 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.

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

424. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are plans to widen the base for HAP discretionary increase from its current income levels considering the high rents charged by landlords in Tipperary and other counties and the current cost-of-living. [5674/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A key principle of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is that eligible households source their own accommodation in the private rented market. HAP rent limits are based on household size and the rental market within the area concerned.

Each local authority has statutory discretion to agree to a HAP payment above the prescribed maximum rent limit. Since July 2022 this discretion level was increased to 35% and for new tenancies to extend the couple’s rate to single persons households. It is a matter for the local authority to determine, whether, and to what extent, the application of the flexibility is warranted.

At the end of Q3 2024, the total number of households being supported by HAP in Tipperary County Council was 1,550, and the average level of discretion being used was 24.5%.

My Department continues to keep the operation of the HAP scheme under review and closely monitors the level of discretion being used by local authorities, taking into account other sources of data, including Residential Tenancies Board rent data published on a quarterly basis.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

425. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if, as a condition of the vacant homes refurbishment grant, 50% of the walls of the existing derelict building have to be retained in order to access the grant; if so, where this rule is outlined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5689/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock.

A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. A top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to €70,000. The Grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built prior to 2008, in towns, villages, cities and rural areas.

The objective of the grant scheme is to refurbish and bring existing vacant and derelict properties back into use. While demolition and extension works can form part of an application for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, such works must be part of a refurbishment of an existing dwelling in keeping with the objectives of the scheme. The grant is administered and managed by local authorities, who process and decide on applications and issue grant payments on completion of approved refurbishment works.

Each local authority has a full time Vacant Homes Officer who can provide further information on the scheme administration. A list of Vacant Homes Officers is available at the following link www.gov.ie/en/publication/f59b3-vacant-homes-officer-contacts/ .