Vol. 509 No. 1
254 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has satisfied himself with the current uptake on the shared ownership scheme as operated by local authorities; the number of successful applications in each local authority in 1998; if he intends to review this scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19862/99]
I am generally satisfied with the level of activity by local authorities under the shared ownership scheme. Following improvements to the terms of the scheme which I announced in April 1998, there has been an increase of 72 per cent in the number of transactions completed during the first half of this year over the same period in 1998. Information on activity under the scheme by each local authority is published in my Department's housing statistics bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library. The terms of the scheme are kept under review by my Department.
255 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a carer in receipt of a carer's allowance may not qualify for the differential rent scheme in some local authorities due to the fact the authority treats the allowance as income; if he will direct the authorities to permit these allowances as non-means in rent assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19956/99]
Local authorities are responsible, as an integral part of their housing management functions, for the determination of the rents of their dwellings under the differential rents scheme and for decisions on the types of income to be taken into account in the assessment of rents. I have no proposals to change these arrangements which are in keeping with Government policy of maximum devolution of functions to local authorities.
