Vol. 384 No. 9
asked the Minister for the Environment if he has received from Dublin Corporation details of a scheme, ratified by Dublin City Council in November 1988, to provide for the sale of local authority flats to local authority tenants under the 1988 tenant purchase scheme; if he has approved the scheme; if the local authority tenants can apply to purchase their flats before 31 December 1988; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
19.
asked the Minister for the Environment if persons (details supplied) in County Kerry whose tenancies commenced after January 1988 will be allowed to purchase their dwellings.
35.
asked the Minister for the Environment when he will make a decision on the departmental working group report which was to carry out a review of the problems, legal and otherwise, associated with the selling of individual flats to tenants; and if he will include flats such as Patrick Hanley Buildings, Cork and Wolfe Tone Street in Cork in the current tenant purchase scheme.
46.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself that the 1988 tenant purchase scheme which he introduced in April, 1988 has been a success; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 19, 35 and 46 together.
Following my recent meeting with officials of local authorities who are responsible for administering the 1988 tenant purchase scheme which I introduced last February, I am satisfied that the scheme is proving very successful, with a record number of applications already received and that it will achieve its objective of enabling many more tenants than would otherwise have been able to do so to purchase their own homes. As the final date for the receipt of applications is 31 December 1988. I emphasised to the officials the importance of again reminding tenants who have not yet applied of the terms of the scheme. Eligibility for this scheme is confined to tenants of local authority dwellings at 1 January 1988 and I do not propose to make any changes in this respect.
Authorities may include flats, other than those provided for and occupied by elderly persons, in their schemes. Recently Dublin Corporation sought and obtained my approval in principle for their outline scheme to allow tenants of certain flats to apply to purchase under the scheme. I understand that the report of the working group on the sale of flats, which was delayed because tenant surveys were not completed by Dublin Corporation, is being finalised at present. When I receive the report, I will consider what further action is necessary.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Does "approval in principle" to the scheme mean that tenants can now apply to buy their flats? Because of staff shortages in Dublin Corporation many people who will have applied before the end of the calendar year will not have had their applications processed. Will the Minister indicate their legal status in relation to their eligibility to avail of the benefits of the 1988 scheme when the year ends?
The answer to the first question is yes. In relation to the second question, because of the numbers involved all those who applied before the end of this calendar year will be eligible, even though it will take some time after that to deal with and finalise their applications. I seek the support of Deputies in making this widely known. The whole business need not be completed this year, the important thing is to have your application in and staff will deal with the matter subsequently.
In regard to the extension of the scheme to cover local authority flats, what consultations took place with NATO in advance of the extension?
We dealt with the question of NATO quite extensively earlier.
Will the Minister confirm whether it is envisaged under the flats portion of the scheme that when the tenant has purchased there will then be a further element involving the payment of a service or community charge for upkeep and maintenance which will be reviewed on a yearly basis?
The Deputy is extending the scope of this question quite considerably.
I understand that the subject matter of the supplementary question was discussed on a number of occasions with the organisation referred to and that it is down for discussion again on 5 December.
Does that discussion include the question of service charges?
That will be a matter for them.
Will the Minister consider changing the rules slightly to allow people who made late applications for the 1988 tenant purchase scheme to be included? If that is not possible, will the Minister indicate whether he intends to bring in a new scheme for 1989? Will he also tell the House whether persons whose applications have not been processed and completed by 1 January 1989 will get the benefit backdated to 1 January 1989?
This question is now being broadened.
I will consider the last point the Deputy made because it is related to Deputy Quinn's question. It is not my intention to allow anybody else into the scheme other than those who were in occupation on 1 January 1988. I have had many representations and I know the difficulties involved but I had to have a starting date and a cut off date. I regret that I cannot make an adjustment at present. I spoke for some time with the housing officers all over the country in relation to this matter and we cleared up many of the anomalies. There will be a very big uptake of this scheme between now and the end of the year.
Will the Minister indicate if he intends to have a further scheme in 1989 or 1990?
It is not contemplated at this time.
