By Dan Walsh
A Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District councillor will appeal on behalf of families to the Department and Minister for Housing to review social housing income thresholds in County Wexford and across Ireland on behalf of several families.
Cllr Joe Sullivan, who is also current Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, explained the plan to WexfordLocal.com.
“I would call on the Department of Housing to consider doing one of two things. Raise income thresholds for social housing annually in accordance with inflation or create an appeals procedure whereby applicants whom are €2,000 or less over the threshold can appeal to an independent office outlining their circumstances.
“As I am familiar with the system and the thresholds in County Wexford, I will outline the current rates as the apply. All bands are net of tax deductions. I have checked the inflation figures since the last increase in January 2023 and find that it is running at approximately 9.2% over the period January 2023 to December 2025.
Cllr Sullivan continued; “While I do agree that the Department of Housing and the Government have to keep tight constraints on housing income thresholds and cannot allow a situation to develop where the system would be overwhelmed by housing applicants due to the higher income bands, I am satisfied that the current income bands are not fit for purpose, and the current guillotine style effect of enforcing them
“Perhaps an appeals system could be put in place or similar facility? I will now outline severe with officials not having any discretion owning to circumstances to allow people onto the housing list who are slightly let’s say up to €2,000 over the limit where they can justify it due to their circumstances. three case studies where I believe the system is not working for applicants;
Case Study 1. One adult with one child currently earning €1,800 pa over the income threshold. The adult is in full time employment 66kms from her home which requires her to travel 132kms round trip per day. There is no public transport available to her. She enjoys her work and no similar work is available to her in her immediate home area. The €1,800 she is over the threshold goes in diesel for her car along with the same again to get her to work every year. Her only way to get under the threshold is to cut her work hours, and that is counter productive in my opinion.
Case Study 2. One adult two children who was on the housing list. This person who works in the health care sector was at the time on the housing list. During the Covid pandemic she been young and healthy accrued some overtime hours which put her over the threshold and after five years on the housing list was removed. Having lost her time on the housing list she is now trying to get back on it and finds herself working less hours to remain under the income threshold, again counter productive in my opinion.
Case Study 3. Couple four children all under ten years of age mother at home raising children father working lowlow-income job. Living in rented accommodation receiving HAP payment finding it extremely difficult to live on existing income father willing and able to do extra hours working but cannot as the would put him over the income threshold, again caught in income trap.
Cllr Sullivan notes that, as demonstrated by the three cases above, each individual could improve their lifestyle and better support their families if the income thresholds and related criteria were slightly relaxed or adjusted.
In summary, Cllr Sullivan acknowledges the excellent efforts of Wexford County Council’s Housing Section and Minister for Housing James Browne TD. He stated that this press release is not a criticism but rather an appeal representing a group of people he interacts with daily, whose voices he believes deserve to be heard.
WexfordLocal.com 