Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2023
392. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people waiting on local authority housing lists per local authority; the average waiting time per list; the use of a choice-based letting system per local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22420/23]
View answerDetails on the number of households qualified for social housing support in each local authority administrative area is provided in the annual statutory Summary of Social Housing Assessments (SSHA). The most recently conducted summary for all counties, conducted in November 2022, shows that 57,842 households qualified for social housing whose need has not yet been met. The summary is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
www.gov.ie/en/collection/62486-summary-of-social-housing-assessments/
While the average waiting time per local authority list is not captured, details on the length of time spent on the respective lists local authority are included in tables 2.8 and A1.8 in the report.
My Department conducted a survey on the use of choice based letting (CBL) in September 2022 which indicates that 17 local authorities operate CBL. These are Clare, Cork City, Cork County, Dublin City, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway City, Galway County, Kildare, Kerry, Leitirm, Longford, Louth, Meath, South Dublin, Tipperary and Waterford. A further five local authorities - Carlow, Kilkenny, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath - advised in the survey that they plan to roll-out CBL systems by the end of this year.
Given the benefits offered by CBL, including fewer refusals and greater choice for qualified households, my Department continues to liaise with the local authorities to support as wide a roll-out of CBL as possible across the country.
