Galway Bay fm newsroom – 798 families have been suspended from Galway County Council’s social housing waiting list.
It follows a recent social housing assessment, which required householders on the waiting list to fill in a form outlining their needs.
The matter has been discussed at county council level this week, where Loughrea area councillor Joe Byrne raised concern over a lack of information available to public representatives about the waiting list.
Almost 2,200 assessment forms were sent out to households on the list.
According to a County Council management report presented to councillors this week, 798 households have been suspended from the list for failing to return a form.
However, concerns have been raised over the communication of the requirement.
Connemara area councillor Eileen Mannion asked whether householders were contacted only by letter – or it they were also contacted by phone or email.
She was among a number of councillors who feared that some householders had not been aware of the requirement to fill out an assessment form.
Councillor Joe Byrne said the situation is a ‘minefield,’ and there is a possibility that genuine cases will be struck off the list through circumstances outside their control.
He’s urging families on the waiting list to contact their local councillor if they have received an assessment form, or if they have any questions about the process.
116 households who returned completed assessment forms have been deemed to be no longer eligible for social housing support.