Figures released by Longford County Council under a freedom of information request show that 54% of those in receipt of housing assistance payment (HAP) in the county are non-Irish citizens.
In addition, the data shows that 41% of those on the county council’s housing waiting list are also not Irish citizens, listed by the local authority as being non-European citizens, European citizens and with a small number from the UK.
368 people were in receipt of HAP from the county council as at 14th March 2023.
Of that total, 198 or 54% of the total were not Irish citizens, with Irish people accounting for the balance of 46% of those in receipt of HAP.
A total of 721 people were on the Longford County Council housing list as at 14th March 2023.
Of that total, just 59%, or 425 were listed as Irish citizens.
Those from the EEA (the member states of the European Union, in addition to Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) made up 28% or 203 people, while non-EEA persons represented 12% or 86 persons – and the UK represented just 1%.
Local TDs have described the housing situation in Longford Westmeath as ‘spiralling out of control’.
The numbers reflect the situation previously revealed in figures from Laois County Council
1 in 3 people on the Laois County Council housing list are not Irish citizens, while a majority (53%) of those in receipt of housing assistance payments in the county are also citizens of other counties.
Loading ...