Pensioners treated shabbily as delay in signing ministerial order continues

UP to 19 Sligo pensioners are unable to have their tenant purchase applications approved by Sligo County Council because a long-promised ministerial order is still waiting to be signed. Until it is signed council housing staff in Sligo can’t process the applications.

The delay was highlighted by Cllr Declan Bree (pictured) who this week called on the Minister for Housing, who announced he would sign the Tenant Purchase Scheme in January, would go ahead and do as promised. He said he was concerned that the minister had not signed the ministerial direction to allow councils to implement the scheme.

“We were told that the new regulations would take effect from February 1, 2022, which would ensure that pensioners would qualify to purchase their home.

The announcement was warmly welcomed by councillors of all political persuasions and it was particularly welcomed by pensioners, many of whom are lifelong council tenants, who are anxious to purchase their home.

“However, when pensioners submitted their applications to Sligo County Council to purchase their homes they were advised that the applications could not be processed because the Minister for Housing had not issued a ministerial directive giving effect to the changes which were announced.

“I understand that our Housing staff sought advice on the matter from the Council’s legal advisors and were told that the old ministerial directive was still in place and applications from pensioners could not proceed until such time as the minister signed the new directive.”

Cllr Bree said it was a pressing matter for many pensioners, some of whom may not be in great health. They are particularly concerned about the ongoing delay and the continuing failure of the Minister to sign the ministerial order, he said.

He added: “In my opinion this is a shabby way for the Government and the minister to treat pensioners who are council tenants. We now need the Minister to sign the ministerial order without any further delay.”

Cllr Martin Baker and several other colleagues backed Cllr Bree’s proposal and agreed with his comments.