A Longford Councillor has hit out at a move by the Department to raise income eligibility thresholds for social housing in just five counties.
From October 1st the threshold for those wishing to avail of social housing or the Housing Assistance Payment will increase from 25,000 euro to 30,0000 euro in counties Clare, Carlow, Laois, Galway and Westmeath.
Peggy Nolan believes Longford has been ignored yet again and she's now calling for a meeting with the housing Minister Darragh O'Brien to discuss the issue.
The Fine Gael representative says there are local young couples who are marginally over the criteria and are now being forced to rent because they are unable to get mortgage approval.
Councillor Nolan says the disparity of the scheme is highlighted when Westmeath and Longford are part of the same constituency yet one county has been left behind.
''They have allowed Westmeath to be part of this raising of this threshold to €30,000. And remember, we are Longford/Westmeath constituency, so they have made a distinction between Longford and Westmeath, which is just something that is intolerable at this stage. So, yes, I'm looking for a meeting with the Minister. I asked my Fianna Fail colleagues to try and organise this to try and have parity for the people that we represent.''
