Minister of State Robert Troy has sought to clarify comments he made about giving priority to workers on social housing lists, insisting he was not seeking to exclude people with disabilities, carers or parents without childcare.
The Fianna Fáil TD recently urged a local authority to prioritise workers when allocating homes, prompting questions over the impact on vulnerable groups.
Mr Troy, who serves as Minister of State at the Department of Finance, explained that Westmeath County Council’s housing strategic policy committee is reviewing its scheme on letting priorities.
He confirmed that he made a submission to the committee to examine whether the fairness of the allocation system could be improved.
“I was very clear while suggesting that people who work should get additional points or a weighted system if you like – but what I’m not talking about [is] including or excluding people who cannot work because they have a full-time disability, full-time carers, perhaps parents with no access to childcare,” he told RTÉ.
The Longford–Westmeath TD added that he was questioning whether incentives could be introduced for people to take up employment.
“We have a situation now where we have full employment in this country and yet still we have many SMEs and small businesses that I talk to in Mullingar or indeed right throughout Ireland saying they’re finding it extraordinarily difficult to get people to work in lower paid jobs,” he said.
‘Bring down waiting lists’
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Troy stressed that his intention was to “start a conversation” rather than move workers ahead of those who have been waiting longer on housing lists.
He said the Government’s top priority remained reducing housing waiting times.
With the scheme of letting priorities under review, Mr Troy said it was important to consider the situation of those who are in work but still unable to secure permanent housing.
The minister defended the Government’s housing record, citing initiatives such as affordable housing, the vacant home grant and the shared equity scheme. He said these policies were helping more people into home ownership.
However, he acknowledged that he had not discussed his proposal with the Minister for Housing or the Taoiseach, describing it instead as a suggestion to Westmeath County Council.
McEntee responds
Also appearing on Morning Ireland, Minister for Education Helen McEntee said she had not seen “any specific proposal” from Mr Troy.
She said she expected that if detailed measures were developed, Mr Troy would engage with Minister of State for Housing James Browne.
“We do have ways in which we’re supporting people who are working. We have the affordable housing scheme, we have the first-time buyers’ scheme,” Ms McEntee said.
She added: “I think what we need to focus on, and that’s what this Government is focusing on, is more housing. So the more housing we deliver, the more social housing, the more affordable housing.”
Ms McEntee argued that sustained investment and delivery of new housing was the only long-term solution.
“In the meantime we have schemes there that are supporting and focused on supporting people who are working, not just the affordable housing scheme but the first-time buyers’ scheme,” she said.
“But I’ve no doubt any proposals or changes Minister Troy will engage with Minister Browne himself,” she added.
Previous controversy
Mr Troy resigned as a junior minister in 2022 after failing to declare 11 properties he either owned or part-owned.
The Standards in Public Offices Commission (SIPO) later ruled that he had breached the Ethics Act in relation to undeclared properties, a contract and a directorship during 2020 and 2021.
In its report, the watchdog accepted that some of the omissions were inadvertent and that there had been no deliberate attempt to conceal information.
Despite the controversy, Mr Troy returned to government earlier this year, when he was appointed a Minister of State at the Department of Finance in February.
