Councillor slams social housing limits in Leitrim as ‘ridiculous’

In Leitrim, the maximum income a single person can earn to qualify for social housing is €30,000, which has been labelled as “ridiculous” by a local councillor. 

This limit increases depending on the number of household members.

For each additional adult, the threshold rises by five percent of the basic maximum income, up to a maximum of 10 percent for two additional adults.

For each child in the household, the threshold rises by five percent of the basic maximum income.

As a result, the income limit for a family with two working adults and two children is €34,500. Cllr Pádraig Fallon has criticised these threshold levels as “ridiculous” and “ludicrous,” urging Leitrim County Council to scall on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Taoiseach, and the Tánaiste to increase the income levels for Social Housing. 

“Ideally these limits need to double,” Cllr Fallon said. “I say that in line with inflation, house prices and rent prices in particular.”

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He shared that he has been working with families where both parents earn modest incomes, yet in one case, they pay over €1,100 per month in childcare.

He noted that if one parent stayed home, they would then qualify for social housing, save on childcare costs and become eligible for Working Family Payment and other social welfare supports.

Cllr Fallon has previously brought this motion before Leitrim County Council.

“I put this motion down again because we have a new Government and a new Minister and I hope that this can be examined again and that we can see these income thresholds decrease,” he said.

Cllr Fallon’s motion received unanimous support.

“These people are the working poor,” said Cllr Warnock “They’re barely living and it’s not right in any society that these people cannot get a mortgage. This number is constantly growing so we need to do something about this,” he added.

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