COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 12, 2026

QUESTION NO. 13

QUESTION: Councillor K. Keane

To ask the Chief Executive whether South Dublin County Council has implemented the national protocol allowing victims and survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to retain their accrued social housing waiting-list time when transferring between local authority areas.

REPLY:

A new inter-local authority protocol has been introduced to support victims and survivors of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV) in accessing social housing services. The protocol allows eligible applicants who are already qualified for social housing support to transfer waiting time accrued on a housing list in one local authority area to another local authority area when relocation is necessary for safety reasons.

The protocol has been developed jointly by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the local authority sector, following a commitment contained in Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030. It aims to remove barriers that may prevent individuals and families fleeing domestic abuse from accessing housing supports in a new area while retaining recognition of time already spent awaiting social housing.

Under the protocol, applicants must continue to meet the relevant social housing eligibility criteria of the receiving local authority and provide appropriate evidence of their circumstances. The process includes information-sharing arrangements between local authorities to ensure applications can be assessed efficiently while maintaining appropriate safeguards and administrative oversight

The introduction of this protocol represents a significant enhancement of housing supports for victims and survivors of domestic abuse. By facilitating mobility between local authority areas and recognising previously accrued waiting time, the protocol helps ensure that those seeking safety can access housing services without experiencing additional disadvantage.This initiative reflects the ongoing commitment of local authorities and Government to supporting vulnerable households and ensuring that housing services play a positive role in protecting individuals and families affected by domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.

Local authorities have been requested to implement the protocol immediately and to support the effective operation of the Protocol. We have a designated staff member as the primary point of contact in our Allocations team. This officer is responsible for assessing applications, liaising with other local authorities, and coordinating the exchange of information necessary to process each application.

We may assess an application on a discretionary basis and are not required to apply the usual residence or local connection criteria. Where an application is approved, the receiving authority will contact the original local authority to verify the applicant's qualification date and relevant housing history. The original qualification date will then be transferred to the receiving authority's housing list, ensuring that the applicant retains their accrued waiting time. Following completion of the transfer, the original housing application will be closed or, where appropriate, the victim or survivor will be removed from a joint application.

The Protocol does not provide automatic priority for housing or guarantee an allocation. Housing allocations will continue to be made in accordance with our Allocation Scheme. The purpose of the protocol is to ensure that victims and survivors of DSGBV who must relocate for safety reasons are not disadvantaged through the loss of their existing time on a social housing waiting list.