Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
234. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the social housing passport between local authorities; when this will be rolled out; the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4141/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe concept of a social housing passport, intended to facilitate eligible social housing applicants to access social housing in any local authority of their preference has been considered by my Department in consultation with local authorities.
An initial scoping exercise was carried out by my Department which identified a range of practical and administrative issues, including those related to the income eligibility differences across local authority areas, maintenance of seniority on housing waiting lists, local connection requirements, the efficient allocation of existing housing stock, and resource implications for local authorities including the absence of a technology to support such an approach. Due to the complexity of the range of issues identified and the difficulties inherent in the practical application of such a scheme for all social housing applicants, further work in this specific area is not being considered at the present time.
However, and as outlined in Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030: An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness, a protocol to allow households fleeing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence to transfer time spent on a social housing waiting list to another local authority will be established and implemented in H1 2026. My Department is engaging with local authorities to develop this protocol and ensure that it is workable, and meets the needs of those who can benefit from it.
It should also be noted, there is already a degree of flexibility regarding housing waiting lists. The four Dublin local authorities have arrangements allowing social housing applicants apply for housing in up to two of the other Dublin authorities simultaneously. Similar arrangements apply in the two Cork and two Galway local authorities. Households may also move and relocate between housing authority areas under the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme where the household income is within the relevant income limits.
