Cllr calls for increase in social housing income threshold

The income threshold for social housing support in County Roscommon needs to be brought in line with neighbouring counties, according to a Fianna Fáil councillor.

At the January meeting of the council, Cllr John Keogh said the threshold of €30,000 for a single individual was a problem.

“We have a lot of people who don’t qualify for social housing support, and who can’t get a mortgage,” he said. “We have a lot of people falling between two stools, earning just too much to qualify for social housing and not enough to be able to get a mortgage.” He called for the income threshold to increase in line with the neighbouring counties of Westmeath, Galway and Mayo.

He asked that a letter be sent to the Minister for Housing seeking that the threshold be increased to €35,000 for single individuals.

“It is creating a lacuna certainly in the Monksland area where we have rents of €1,800, €1,900. Two people could be working in the same job, but one has a Westmeath address and they qualify for social housing support, while the person with the Roscommon address doesn’t,” he said. “It is fundamentally wrong.” His proposal was seconded by Cllr Laurence Fallon.

•Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme