The members of the Ballina Electoral Area are to write to the new Minister of State for Housing, Willie Penrose, to express their concerns about the new income threshold for applicants for social housing. Paul Benson, senior executive officer for Mayo County Council, told the meeting that since March 1 new legislation had been brought in that had tied the hands of the council when it came to the allocation of social housing.
Under the new legislation strict income thresholds had been put in place where no single person who had a net income greater than €25,000 could apply for social housing, with an additional €1,250 being allowed for a second adult and €600 per child afterwards on an application. For example, Mr Benson told the meeting that for a family of two adults and three children the maximum net income for a family would be €28,050. He informed the members that previously the council had been afforded leeway, where they could take the applicants’ outgoings into consideration before they made a decision, but now a strict threshold applied.
“It amazes me that a so called socialist minister in Willie Penrose could allow this to stay,” Independent councillor Gerry Ginty told the meeting. “It penalises the people of the country.”
Fianna Fáil councillor Annie May Reape proposed that the council members write to Minister Penrose outlining their concerns, and called on the Fine Gael members of the committee to raise the issue with their TDs and ministers. Cllr Reape’s proposal was seconded by Cllr Ginty.
