Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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307. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an overview of the legislation governing medical priority in allocation of social homes and supported tenancies. [62420/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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308. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to outline any role for agencies and departments outside of his remit in determining eligibility for medical priority in allocation of social homes and supported tenancies. [62421/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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326. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when, under the National Housing Strategy for Disabled Individuals 2022-2027, the National Guidelines for the Assessments and Allocations Process for Social Housing Provision for People with Disability will be made mandatory across all local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62586/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 307, 308 and 326 together.

Applications for social housing support are assessed by local authorities in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations, as amended.

Applicants applying on medical or disability grounds must complete the medical/disability HMD-Form 1 specifying the nature of the medical condition or disability and, if applicable, an occupational therapist's report in respect of any specific accommodation requirements. The purpose of the HMD-Form 1 is to obtain sufficient information to allow the local authority to assess the nature of the applicant’s condition in order to award a priority to the applicant if that is merited including determining the most suitable housing solution.

Decisions on the qualification of households for support, the awarding of medical priority, and the allocation of that support, are a matter solely for the local authority concerned, in accordance with their allocation schemes made under section 22 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and associated Regulations. This legislation requires all local authorities, as a reserved function, to make an allocation scheme determining the order of priority to be accorded in the allocation of dwellings to households qualified for social housing support and to households approved for a transfer, the allocation of which would, in the opinion of the authority, meet the accommodation needs and requirements of the households.

It is the local authority, which assesses housing applicants, taking into account factors such as the condition and affordability of existing accommodation, medical and compassionate grounds, etc. The authority then prioritises the needs of approved applicants in accordance with its allocation scheme.

The National Guidelines for the Assessment and Allocation Process for Social Housing Provision for People with a Disability, published under the National Implementation Framework for the National Housing Strategy for People with a Disability 2011-2016 (NHSPWD), are provided for under section 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009.

The purpose of the National Guidelines for the Assessment and Allocation Process for Social Housing Provision for People with a Disability is to assist in streamlining the management of the housing assessment and allocation process for disabled people, including those living in the community and those transitioning to the community from residential care. The Guidelines support housing authorities in carrying out assessments of housing need for disabled people within a planned and structured framework to ensure that their needs can be assessed as effectively as possible in a timely manner.

The Guidelines are available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/national-guidelines-for-the-assessment-and-allocation-process-for-social-housing-provision-for-people-with-a-disability/.