Pensioners can’t buy own home

Pensioners over the age of 66 years are being denied the chance to buy their Council homes because their pensions are not counted as earned income.

Cathaoirleach Councillor Seamus Kilgannon raised the issue whereby people, especially pensioners, who do not have an earned income of € 15,000 cannot buy their Council home.

“It’s terrible to think an application won’t be accepted because it’s not termed as earned income. These people have worked their whole life,” he said.

Councillor Chris MacManus added that in some cases, family members are willing to help their parents and they’re prohibited from doing so.

“It’s regrettable. I know of one family who have li ved in their home for 60 years and all their family,” he said.

Councillor Rosaleen O’Grady said: “These tenant purchase schemes are a joke. I, like Councillor MacManus, had a constituent and they can’t buy it. It’s only ticking a box. It’s not working and it won’t work.”

Cllr MacManus said there was a “certain element of ageist l aw here.”

“It’s discriminating against older people. It’s not dictated by their abilit y to pay but by their age,” he added.

Director of Ser vices Bartley Gavin said pensions /social welfare payments only counted if another tenant had a job.