Sinn Fein County Councillor, Mick Quinn, has demanded that the new tenant purchase scheme for Council tenants must be fair and allow equal access to people of all abilities.
Quinn said : “I requested that this scheme be discussed at the recent Council meeting and received cross party support when I pointed out that one group in particular are prohibited from access to the scheme.
“In circumstances where one of the tenants has a disability and his or her partner is their carer, they are precluded from the scheme on the grounds that neither of them are deemed to be in full time employment. This is grossly unfair particularily when you consider the incredible work being done by carers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year across the country.”
Quinn continued: “It should at all times be borne in mind by the dept. that council tenants are living in what has become their family homes and every effort should be made to allow tenants the opertunity to buy their homes.
“The Irish people of 2016 should not have to face any type of discrimination when trying to buy a home for themselves and their families.”
Cllr Quinn added: “The concerns raised by councillors at the meeting have been forwarded to the Dept. with the request that the scheme be reviewed in order to include more fairness and accessability.”