To ask the Minister for Social Development whether his Department has a policy on housing children in high rise accomodation.

Rule 57 of the Housing Selection Scheme states “in considering whether a particular offer is suitable, the designated officer must consider the reasonable needs of the applicant, including the applicants household having regard to suitability of features”. The Housing Executive has advised that in relation to the application of Rule 57 in regard to high rise accommodation they as a general rule would not allocate this type of accommodation to families with children under 10.