A Minister of State has called on a local authority to prioritise workers when allocating social housing.
Minister Robert Troy believes a message must be sent out that it pays to work at a time of full employment.
He made his comments as part of a review into housing that is being carried out at Westmeath County Council.
The Mullingar-based Minister of State said he was not targeting those who cannot work such as people with disability, those suffering with ill health or single parents with young families.
However, for all others he wants their employment record to be factored in when they are seeking social housing.
If there was a choice between providing a house to someone who was working or a person who never worked a day in their life, he is clear who the local authority should prioritise.
"At the moment the main criteria for being allocated a house is longevity on the housing list, and the whole question of whether you are working or not doesn't seem to come into the picture, which is very unfair and sends out the wrong message," he 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.
