Housing Minister Simon Coveney is being asked to investigate allegations of abuses of the Affordable Social Housing scheme.
Sinn Féin Seanad housing spokesperson Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, who is making the call, claims he has been given documentation which suggests a local authority official was allocated a house, for which s/he was not eligible. Sen Ó Clochartaigh was speaking in Seanad Éireann.
It is claimed the income limit for this scheme was €36,500, and that the individual’s income would have been above this, thereby making him/her ineligible for the scheme. According to Sen Ó Clochartaigh, other individuals also acquired houses, and the documentation he possesses indicates that some people were possibly allocating better houses to colleagues, who were getting priority over others on the waiting list.
He said questions needed to be asked, such as if the Minister had any knowledge of the case; what he intended to do about it; how can such irregularities be prevented from happening; and if his Department is aware of similar cases happening in any local authorities.
