Chairman throws reps powers into sharp relief

‘DO you honestly think this is going to make a difference?’

This was chairman Paddy Kavanagh’s depressingly frank assessment of local representative’s powers during a debate on housing lists. He refused Cllr Davy Hynes to speak a second time on the issue, which was raised by Cllr Joe Sullivan. Cllr Sullivan called on the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to amend the regulations in relation to notifying social housing applicants that they have been removed from housing lists, thorugh a registered post letter, a signed acknowledgmenet by the person being removed, or a signed declaration by a county council member of the housing department that they have verbally informed the person is being removed.

He suggested that any person on a housing list who fails to engage within three years of the initial contact from the county council may be removed from the list at that stage. Cllr Johnny Mythen said anyone on a HAP scheme should be automatically transferred to the housing list.

Cllr Sullivan said he has seen situations where people believed they were on the housing list because they missed a leter as they had moved house.

The motion was carried but a query from Cllr Hynes asking if the amended legislation could be restrospective, was dismissed outright by the chairman, who said: ‘Do you honestly think this is going to make a difference?’.

‘ That’s a slap in the face for Joe,’ Cllr Deirdre Wadding replied.