A joint report by two national disability organisations highlights the stark challenges facing people with disabilities who are trying to secure housing.
The report, 'Our Housing Rights' outlines the complexity and frustration of those who apply.
Inclusion Ireland and the Independent Living Movement Ireland (ILMI) say that people with disabilities feel their housing needs are being "completely overlooked within the housing crisis" and they are not being seen as people with an equal right to independent living.
The report was compiled following a meeting in July of six focus groups - four were attended by people with disabilities and two were for family members of people with disabilities.
The report notes that the means test applied to the home adaptation grant through the Department of Housing was viewed as "harsh" by participants.
They said the grant often does not cover the cost of home adaptation.
People said universal design principles need to be ring-fenced in social and private houses to ensure accessibility for as many people as possible.
It also notes that many people with disabilities do not drive, and public transport is not always accessible, so a home needs to be centrally located for services or located close to public transport options.
And the application system for housing and the associated supports required to live independently is not accessible to many people. The report says the system is confusing.
As a new national housing strategy for people with a disability is now being developed, some of the recommendations include a central accessible application process for housing and independent living supports.
It suggests that "robust data" be published at regular intervals in waiting lists for housing and independent living supports, and that 7.5% of all new social housing and housing provided by approved housing bodies must be ring-fenced for people with disabilities.
At the moment, more than 1,300 people with disabilities under the age of 65 are living in nursing homes.
More than 1,250 people with disabilities are living at home with a primary carer over the age of 70 with 400 of these carers over the age of 80.
