People turning down offers of social housing “doesn’t matter”, The Hard Shoulder presenter Kieran Cuddihy has said. 

In 2021 and 2022, some 25,000 offers of social housing were made and a fifth of them were rejected. 

Speaking to Lunchtime Live, one councillor in Meath said he finds the phenomenon “extremely annoying” and had even heard of one applicant who rejected a home because they did not like the colour of the front door. 

Kieran admits this is something that “drives people absolutely mad” but said it is not worth worrying about. 

“So, this might be a slightly unpopular opinion - but who cares?” he told listeners. 

“Honestly, who actually cares? 

“This is only a problem for society if it means that the social housing unit - the house or the apartment - stays empty. 

“But it doesn’t. Somebody else takes it. 

“So, who really cares if John wants a house with a bigger garden or room for his motorbike or to live closer to his parents. 

“As soon as John says, ‘No’, the local council ring Mary and Mary says, ‘Yes’ and she moves in with her family. 

“The only person affected is John who has to stay on the waiting list. 

“So, I know it makes us all feel better to give out about people who say no and talk about their sense of entitlement and maybe some of them do [have a sense of entitlement]. 

“There’s legitimate reasons but maybe some of them do have a sense of entitlement but it actually isn’t a problem. 

“It doesn’t matter once the house doesn’t remain idle - and it doesn’t.”

In the final quarter of 2022, there were 12,733 social housing units at design and tender stage.

Main image: Kieran Cuddihy