With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 15 together. Local housing authorities were notified on 17th May last that in any case where a tenant purchased his house in the period 1967 to 1973 and the price paid was higher than would have been payable under the sales scheme introduced in July, 1973, the last quarter of the repayment period should be waived and the annuity will remain unchanged, provided that the reduction in price is not greater than the amount by which the pre-July 1973 price exceeded the July, 1973 price.
This concession is available only to tenants who purchased their houses on an annuity basis and who have not subsequently redeemed the annuity in full. The payment by lump sums of part of the amount outstanding will not disqualify a tenant purchaser from obtaining the concession. However, it is not proposed that tenants who purchased their houses outright under the pre-July 1973 schemes should receive a cash refund.