Minister of State Robert Troy has clarified that he was not trying to exclude those with a disability, carers or a parent without access to childcare when suggesting that people who work should get priority on social housing lists.
Mr Troy, who is a minister for state at the Department of Finance, explained that Westmeath County Council's housing strategic policy committee was conducting a review of their scheme on letting priorities.
He added that he made a submission to that committee to see if there "was anyway we can enhance the fairness of the scheme of letting priorities".
"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 including or excluding people who cannot work because they have a full time disability, full time carers, perhaps think about parents with no access to childcare," he said.
However, he queried if there was a way to incentivise people to work.
"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' - Troy
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he reiterated that he was looking "for a conversation" around the matter and not attempting to move workers ahead of those who have been on the waiting list longer.
Mr Troy said the number one priority of the Government was to bring down housing waiting lists.
At a time when the scheme of letting priorities is being reviewed, he said it is important to look at those who are working, but cannot gain access to a permanent home.
He defended the Government, saying it had introduced affordable housing, the vacant home grant, the shared equity scheme, adding "more and more people are being supported into home ownership".
However, he said he had not discussed his proposal with the Minister for Housing or the Taoiseach, adding that it was a suggestion he had made to Westmeath County Council.
Also speaking on Morning Ireland, Minister for Education Helen McEntee said she has not seen "any specific proposal" on housing following comments by Mr Troy.
"I have no doubt anything detailed he'll engage with Minister [James] Brown on this. 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," she said.
"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 delivered, the more social housing, the more affordable housing," Ms McEntee added.
She said that "we need to invest in more housing and we need to build more houses and I think 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".
"But I've no doubt any proposals or changes Minister Troy will engage with Minister Brown himself," Ms McEntee said.
Mr Troy had to resign as a junior minister in 2022 over errors he made in declaring 11 properties he either owned or part owned.
The Standards in Public Offices Commission found that Mr Troy had contravened the Ethics Act in respect of the declaration of properties, a contract, and a directorship in the years 2020 and 2021.
In its report, the commission accepted that failure to declare some of these interests by Mr Troy was inadvertent and there was no attempt by him to conceal information.
He was appointed a Minister of State at the Department of Finance last February.
