COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, March 23, 2015

QUESTION NO. 2

QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff

"To ask the Chief Executive to make a report indicating what actions, if any, are being taken to facilitate Senior Citizens or others, either a sole tenant or couples, who are seeking to downsize from three bedroom to single bedroom accommodation and could he indicate if any talks are taking place with the Voluntary Housing Sector to provide such accommodation?"

REPLY:

At present there are 767 applications on list for a transfer to alternative accommodation, of these 19 are older persons (65 years+) who would downsize to one bedroom accommodation primarily from three bedroom accommodation.  The Council has older persons dwellings peppered throughout the County and specific complexes in Jobstown, Neilstown and Liscarne.  FOLD Approved Housing Body provides older persons dwellings in it's developments at Whitestown Way, Tallaght and Fortfield Road, Terenure, there are no current vacancies.  The Council nominates suitable candidates to Approved Housing Bodies when informed of vacancies in older persons dwellings, among others.

As suitable Older Person accommodation becomes available, suitable transfer applicants willing to downsize are identified with the intention of maximising existing housing stock, however the decision to accept accommodation identified is ultimately the decision of the applicant.

The Council must also take cognisance of those older persons on the Housing List - currently 105, who are residing in private rented properties in the main, often shared accommodation.  A recent Ministerial Directive instructed at 50% of allocations must be to those with Homeless/Medical circumstances (at the 1st December 2014) for a six month period up to 26th July 2015, at present the Council has two of the three vacant older persons dwellings designated to Homeless older persons.