Housing

Housing for All

Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland’ is the government’s housing plan to 2030.

It is a multi-annual, multi-billion euro plan which will improve Ireland’s housing system and deliver more homes of all types for people with different housing needs.

The government’s overall objective is that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes:

  • to purchase or rent at an affordable price
  • built to a high standard and in the right place
  • offering a high quality of life

The government’s vision for the housing system over the longer term is to achieve a steady supply of housing in the right locations with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system.

It is estimated that Ireland will need an average of 33,000 new homes to be provided each year from 2021 to 2030.

The policy has four pathways to achieving housing for all:

  • supporting home ownership and increasing affordability
  • eradicating homelessness, increasing social housing delivery and supporting social inclusion
  • increasing new housing supply
  • addressing vacancy and efficient use of existing stock

The pathways contain actions to be taken by government departments, local authorities, State agencies and others. The pathways are supported by actions to enable a sustainable housing system.

Housing for All contains 213 actions which will deliver a range of housing options for individuals, couples and families.

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A key action under the Government’s "Housing for All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland" is that local authorities develop and submit Housing Delivery Action Plans to include details of social and affordable housing delivery.

This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All, and has been developed having regard to the National Planning Framework (NPF), the LCC County Development Plan (CDP) 2022 – 2028, Longford County Councils Traveller Accommodation Programme (TAP) 2019 – 2024, Longford County Councils Strategic Plan for Housing Disabled People 2022–2027; and the Annual Social Housing Needs Assessment (SHNA).

Our Housing Delivery Action Plan 2022-2026 is available to view LCC-Housing-Delivery-Action-Plan-2022-2026.docx (size 281.7 KB) 

Housing Department

The overall aim of the Housing Policy is to enable every household to have available to them an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and as far as possible at a tenure of its choice. The general strategy for realising this policy is that those who can afford to do so should provide housing for themselves and those unable to do so from their own resources should have access to social housing or income support to rent private housing. 

The functions of Longford County Council in relation to housing are as follows:

  • To provide and manage rented Local Authority housing for those unable to provide housing from their own resources 
  • To provide and manage accommodation for travellers 
  • To promote home ownership through tenant purchase schemes, shared ownership schemes and various loan options for those who fulfil certain criteria
  • To be a facilitator for approved voluntary or non-profit housing organisations by providing rented accommodation and facilities to enforce housing standards and controls in relation to private rented dwellings.

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Homeless Services

 If you are homeless, rough sleeping or at risk of becoming homeless you need to present to the Housing Office in between the hours of 10.00am and 1pm and 2pm to 4pm. Our email address is homeless@longfordcoco.ie


Should you require assistance outside of these hours please contact the out of hours service on 087 445 4542 or email outofhoursservice@midlandssimon.com between the hours of 6pm-12am (midnight) 7 days a week. 

When presenting at your local housing office you will require photo identification – valid drivers licence or passport. You will also need to provide proof of your current income/social welfare payment – payslip from employer or Post Office.

https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data

Am I entitled to temporary emergency accommodation?

At present, in order to qualify for access to social housing supports in the Longford area, you must produce evidence of your local connection to the county. A local connection is determined having regard to the following criteria:

·         a member of your household has resided for a continuous 5-year period at any time in the area concerned; or

·         The place of employment of any household member is in the area concerned or is located within 15 kilometres of the area; or

·         A household member is in full-time education in any university, college, school or other education establishment in the area concerned; or

·         Any household member with an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment is attending an educational or medical

           establishment in the area concerned that has facilities or services specifically related to such impairment, or

·         A relative of any household member lives in the area concerned and has lived there for a minimum period of 2 years.

 

Upon presenting at the Housing Office the Homeless Liaison Officer will complete a homeless assessment which will have regard to whether:  

·         You have a local connection to the area and whether you are registered as homeless with any other local authorities.

·         You are homeless or likely to be homeless,

·         The circumstances which contributed to your current situation 

It will then be determined if you have a priority need for temporary accommodation/access to social housing supports. 

 

I’m under 18, what do I do?

The Health Service Executive (HSE) will help you if you are under 18 years. If you are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless go to your local Area Health Office and look to speak to a social worker. If that office is closed, for example it is after 5:00pm you should go to the local Garda Station and they will contact the on-duty social worker.  

Homelessness Statistics

Official homelessness data is produced by Longford County Council through the Pathway Accommodation & Support System (PASS).  The data produced captures details of individuals in State-funded emergency accommodation arrangements that are overseen by local authorities.  The Midlands Regional Homelessness Authority, as the lead local authorities for homelessness in each region, provide monthly reports on homelessness, in accordance with Departmental set guidelines which identify the number of people utilising State-funded emergency accommodation on a regional and county basis.

The most recent records are available on the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage below

https://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/homelessness/other/homelessness-data