Family appeal removal from housing list after eighth child

A jobless couple was removed from a local authority housing list because their annual social protection income had jumped to just over €29,000 after the birth of an eighth child, the High Court was told.

Winnifred and Joseph Ward have challenged the legality of Westmeath County Council’s decision to drop them from the waiting list after deeming them ineligible due to increased income.

The couple told the court that the council informed them in May it was removing them from the social housing list because their household income now exceeded the maximum threshold of €28,750 per year for two adults and eight children as set by the Department of Housing Guidelines.