Thousands to be removed from Social Housing List

Cllr Anthony Kelly has said that he has great concerns at the new government’s decision to implement new restrictions on social housing applicants which are based upon the plan introduced by the outgoing Fianna Fail led coalition on their last day in government.  The Wexford Sinn Féin rep placed a successful motion against the plan before Wexford Borough Council last week.

Cllr Kelly said;

“These measures will have a devastating impact on thousands of low income families throughout the state who could be taken off housing waiting lists and left in unsuitable and inappropriate accommodation.  In his final act as Minister, Fianna Fáil’s Michael Finneran signed into law the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011.  This included new income thresholds for social housing which could result in the result in thousands of families in need of social housing no longer qualifying for a home.” 

“It’s true that Minister Willie Penrose has increased the income thresholds since coming into office, but this is simply a sugar coating of a cruel act that will have a negative impact across this nation.  Thousands of families are still in danger of being removed from the housing list, and Minister Penrose betrays his true intentions by suggesting that he will ‘look again at the eligibility criteria for social housing in about six months time.’  Does that mean that we get the original Fianna Fail plan put into action in six months time?”

“There are empty houses scattered across this country, in the hands of the Irish nation via NAMA.  According to state figures based on the last census and information from the Department of the Environment, Community & Local Government, there are over 300,000 vacant houses in Ireland today, not including holiday homes.  Many of them are now under NAMA control.  There are more than 100,000 households on the social housing waiting list.  Over five thousand people were recorded as being homeless by Focus Ireland last year.  Why is our government trying to remove people who need to be housed when there are 300,000 thousand houses lying idle and gradually slipping into a state of deterioration?  I have placed my motion before Wexford Borough Council to highlight the hypocrisy of this situation and to stop a new government treating its people the same as the last one.”

New Social Housing income thresholds must be reversed - Kelly

Wexford town Sinn Féin councillor Anthony Kelly has called upon Minister Willie Penrose to reverse the new income thresholds for social housing brought in by former Minister Michael Finneran in one of his last acts as Minister.  Cllr Kelly warned that these new thresholds would result in the removal of thousands of families from housing waiting lists.

Cllr Kelly said;

"Minister Penrose must address this situation immediately.  Failure to do so will result in thousands of families being further plunged into poverty.  The removal of these families from housing waiting lists will result in them being left in unsuitable accommodation.  At a time when we have over three hundred thousand empty houses in the care of NAMA, this makes no sense.  I would remind Minister Penrose that its the taxpayer who is funding NAMA, not himself, Enda Kenny nor Eamon Gilmore."

Are you entitled to a council house?

Local authorities in Ireland are the main provider of social housing for people who need housing and cannot afford to buy their own homes. Local authority housing is allocated according to housing need, and rents are based on your ability to pay.

If you think you may qualify, you should apply to your local authority, which will take account of factors such as your household size, income, your present accommodation (if any), the condition of that accommodation and any special circumstances, including age, disability, medical circumstances, etc. Some local authorities in Ireland impose an income limit on applicants. Someone from the local authority may visit you to assess your present housing circumstances.

There is nothing to stop you applying to more than one local authority, for example, you might register on a county council list, in addition to an urban district council in that area. Local authorities have the power to accept applications from people who do not live in their area, but practice varies from area to area.

If you are accepted by the local authority as being in need of housing, you are then placed in the local authority housing waiting list. Each local authority draws up its own rules for deciding order of priority on the waiting list, called "'schemes of letting priorities". You can get a copy from your local authority. Some local authorities operate a points system. Each household on the waiting list is given a number of points depending on its circumstances. The greater your housing need, the more points you get.

You may be able to specify areas where you would like to live, but you should remember that if you choose a popular area, you may wait longer for an offer of housing than if you choose a less popular area.

As houses become available to your local authority for letting (renting out), they are allocated from the waiting list in order of priority, taking account of all the relevant circumstances. If you want to know your position on the waiting list, your local authority will inform you. You should remember that your position may go up or down depending on the circumstances of other people on the housing waiting list and as your own circumstances change. In practice, priority is generally given to families and elderly people rather than single people or couples without children.

If you are offered a house you do not want, you can refuse it. But if the local authority thinks that you do not have a good reason for refusing the offer of the house, it may reduce your priority on the waiting list, particularly if you refuse more than one offer.

Local authority housing is unfurnished. If you are offered a local authority home and you do not have and cannot afford to buy furniture or appliances, you may be eligible for help from the HSE's local Community Welfare Officer.

If you need help on this or any other issue effecting you in Wexford, please feel free to contact one of local SF councillors or your local SF cumann.

Cllr Anthony Kelly - Wexford town - 0871361785
Cllr Johnny Mythen - Enniscorthy - 0879847278