Government says proposed legislation will tighten and clarify residency requirements, but housing groups warn vulnerable applicants could be caught in the middle.
A new Bill aimed at clarifying who is eligible for social housing is set to put residency requirements at the centre of the debate over access to State-supported housing.
The Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 would formally require social-housing applicants to have a legal right to live in Ireland and to be habitually resident in the State.
In straightforward terms, applicants must be legally entitled to live here and must have made Ireland their genuine, established home.
The Government argues that the changes are about bringing greater certainty and consistency to a system already operating with residency requirements. It says social housing is a long-term form of support and should be available to people with a genuine, long-term connection to Ireland.
The proposals do not mean that social housing will be restricted to Irish citizens. Non-Irish nationals may still qualify, depending on their immigration status and individual circumstances.
At a time when demand for social housing remains high, the legislation is likely to attract close attention from applicants, local authorities and housing organisations.
The central question will be whether the new rules succeed in providing the clarity promised by the Government without creating new barriers for people already struggling to find a secure home.
