Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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241. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to address the housing crisis as it impacts one-person households; if his Department will ensure one-person households can avail of the tenant-in-situ scheme; if he will allow housing authorities allocate suitable two-bed properties to qualifying one-person households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16395/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is fully supportive of increased housing delivery for one-person households and I’m pleased to see that both local authorities and approved housing bodies are increasingly delivering suitable properties in response to this need as part of the record social housing delivery we have seen in recent years.

Given that the specific make-up of new public housing build projects is a matter for our local authorities, I’d encourage Councillors and public representatives to work with their own authorities to further grow delivery covering a good blend of housing types, including properties suitable for one-person households.

In regard to the 2025 social housing acquisitions programme including Tenant-in-Situ properties, I have stated that while local authorities can prioritise families with children, older persons or people with a disability who are at serious risk of homelessness, this should not be interpreted as excluding any other households and the final decisions in relation to each individual acquisition rests with the local authority.

The allocation of social housing is also a matter for the local authorities so I’d encourage public representatives to set their policy in this regard, to meet the various elements of housing need, including one-person households.