'Social housing income limits in Kildare must be increased'

placeholder image — 'Social housing income limits in Kildare must be increased'. FILE PHOTOGRAPH / PIXABAY

The comments were made by a TD representing Kildare South

A TD representing Kildare South has expressed his view that social housing income limits in Kildare must be increased.

Speaking in the Dáil, Labour Party Deputy Mark Wall has called for the government to increase the income limits for households to be eligible for social housing supports.

The Athy-based representative also stressed to An Taoiseach Michéal Martin (Fianna Fáil) his view that the government should disregard the Working Family Payment from being an assessable payment.

Elaborating on his views, Deputy Wall said: "Housing is the number one issue in my consistency office every day of the week.

"Too many working families are earning too much to qualify for social housing support, and nowhere near enough to buy their own home."

He continued: "I have also supported a number of families who are on the Working Family Payment, a payment to help low-income households, and have been rejected for social housing as the payment pushes them over the limit.

"I have received a reply from the Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage [James Browne TD, Fianna Fáil] and a further update on the income limits is due by the end of the year.

"The income limit in Kildare is set at €40,000 and my office has been supporting a number of families who either can’t get on the housing list or upon review have been removed from the housing list because of this income limit; this is an ongoing issue and must be addressed."

'IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS'

Deputy Wall further said: "I have raised the need to increase the income thresholds to qualify for social housing with the Taoiseach recently, and while I acknowledge that government is looking at this, it doesn’t take a genius to see that working people and their families can’t afford to buy their own home and earn too much to get social housing.

"The government must increase the income limit to ensure that more working people qualify for social housing; its plan for housing simply hasn’t worked, they have no plans to make housing more affordable."

He concluded: "We need to a radical change of direction and by increasing the income limits for social housing we can ensure that more young working families can get a home of their own and finally start living their lives."