Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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1297. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will examine the case of a family (details supplied) who are living in overcrowded accommodation, who are being removed from the housing list for being over the income limit, but have been turned down for an affordable housing scheme due to insufficient income; if he will propose a solution for this family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20170/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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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. This 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.

In the case of affordable homes purchased under Local Authority Affordable Purchases Scheme and the First Home Scheme, applicant eligibility is not dependent upon income or household size/composition. The eligibility checks for these schemes are property-specific and work from someone's purchasing capacity - from a mortgage, savings, and deposit.

In the case of Cost Rental homes, in August 2023 the Government increased the income thresholds for new tenancies, with net household income limits rising to €66,000 in Dublin and €59,000 elsewhere. These were introduced across the Cost Rental sector from 1 August 2023, replacing the former national net income limit of €53,000. The increased thresholds broadened the cohort of people eligible to avail of cost rental.

Other measures such as the Local Authority Home Loan, the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Scheme, the Help to Buy Incentive, and the Ready to Build Scheme are also available to help make home ownership more affordable.

These measures under Housing for All are primarily aimed at supporting affordability constrained households, first-time buyers and Fresh Start applicants and are regularly reviewed by my Department.