Kerry County Council will likely introduce choice based letting in the third quarter of this year.
Through this scheme, available social housing will be openly advertised, allowing qualified households to apply if interested.
It aims to allow qualified households have a greater choice and involvement in selecting a new home.
At the monthly meeting of Kerry County Council, Independent councillor Jackie Healy-Rae asked when the choice based letting system would be launched.
He acknowledged the work done by the council’s housing department, but stated it was going on for far too long.
Cllr Healy-Rae says he was told it would initially be introduced in the first quarter of last year, then the first quarter of this year and now the council is saying there’s no final launch date yet, but it’ll likely be quarter three.
Director of Services with Kerry County Council, Martin O’Donoghue says significant work has been undertaken, including resolving security issues.
He says applicants have to be trained to use the system which is a big undertaking, adding all tenants need to be comfortable using it.
Mr O’Donoghue says the resource commitments needed can’t currently be met, with 21 of the council’s housing department staff out with COVID-19 on one day alone recently.
He says work is continuing and he’ll advise councillors once the final project plan is available.
