A person on a low income would be better off on the dole when it comes to getting a house, according to Cllr Noel Tuohy.
The Labour councillor had a motion before Laois County Council calling on the Minister for the Environment to urgently review the qualifying thresholds for local authority household lists.
“These are currently so low as to be irrelevant and are contributing to a poverty trap and hardship for families,” his motion said.
Cllr Tuohy said a person earning over €26,000 can’t go on the housing waiting list.
“My view is that we have abdicated our role in the provision of housing,” he said.
Someone earning €26,000 per year can’t afford to pay rent of €6-700 per month, he stressed.
“We are basically throwing those people out on the road,” he said, of the lack of provision of housing.
“These people want to get up in the morning and work,” he said. “If they give up their job then they can get on the housing waiting list,” Cllr Tuohy added.
It is “ridiculous” to have that low level as the cut-off point, Cllr Paddy Bracken said. Supporting Cllr Tuohy’s motion, he said the council now needs to get back to building houses.
However, increasing the amount of people who can qualify will make matters worse, Cllr Brendan Phelan said. “We need to address the shortage of housing,” he said. “Then we can broaden out the list”.
Below average
“Does anybody care about the guys at the bottom of the ladder who are working on an average income or below average one?” Cllr Jerry Lodge said.
“I don’t know if political parties care anymore,” he said. He added that there are also problems being caused by “greedy landlords”.
He said under British rule, tenants had looked for fixity of tenure and fairness of price. He said now that we have a Republic “people can do it to anyone” he said of rent increases.
People who are earning between €26,000 and €40,000 are left in limbo, Cathaoirleach Cllr Tom Mulhall said. “They can’t get a loan” he said.
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