COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 12, 2026

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor P. Holohan

To ask the Chief Executive what consideration is given, for the purposes of social housing assessment, to Irish citizens returning from abroad who have given up accommodation due to domestic violence or similar circumstances.

REPLY:

People experiencing domestic violence should first contact a specialist domestic violence service. If they contact homeless services overseen by a local authority, the authority should refer them to a specialist service. This will help identify and address any specific support needs, as the person may also require specialist legal or medical help.

If the person needs long-term housing, they must complete a social housing assessment. Local services should work together to complete this assessment promptly and avoid the person remaining in emergency accommodation for a long time.

The local authority decides whether an applicant is eligible for and needs social housing support. It must make this decision under Section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, as amended, and the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011, as amended. The authority must consider the individual circumstances of the case. It may decide that a household needs social housing support if its current accommodation is unsuitable, including because of exceptional medical or compassionate circumstances. This means a person experiencing domestic violence may be accepted as having a housing need and placed on a housing waiting list, provided the household meets all other eligibility conditions.

Irish citizenship gives a person the right to live in the State, but it does not automatically entitle them to social housing support. Under Regulation 5, a household may apply to the local authority for the area where it normally lives, to a local authority for an area with which it has a local connection, or to another local authority that agrees to assess the application.

If a person returns to the State after giving up accommodation because of domestic violence or abuse, the local authority must take this into account when assessing their housing need. Each application must be assessed fully and individually, taking account of the applicant’s circumstances and any relevant exceptional factors. The decision must be based on evidence and made fairly, consistently and openly. Before approving the application, the authority must be satisfied that the applicant meets all eligibility and housing-need requirements.