COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

MOTION NO. 6

MOTION: Councillor R. Nolan

With house prices and rents in the private sector spiralling out of control, we ask the Minister for Housing to look at extending the income threshold for eligibility for a council home, Increasing the €35,000 threshold for single people to €45,000 and the €42,000 for couples to €60.000. We commit to writing to the Minister for Housing.

REPORT:

Income thresholds for eligibility for social housing support are set by the the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government and are covered by legislation, these thresholds cannot be amended by Local Authorities. 

Assessment is carried out on NET income i.e. Gross minus, PAYE, PRSI, USC and Pension-Related Deduction within the meaning of Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009.

Income from the following sources are disregarded for the purposes of assessing income:

Child benefit or guardians payment,

Exceptional or urgent needs payments;

Carers allowance;

Scholarships or higher education grants;

Foster care payments;

Domicilliary care allowance;

Allowances/assistance from charities;

Fuel allowance;

Mobility allowance;

Living alone allowance;

Rent or mortgage interest supplements and

Payments under job schemes (old FAS type schemes)