Vol. 558 No. 4
420 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the submission lodged in his Department on 10 October 2002 by Leitrim County Council in relation to two social housing properties (details supplied); if the necessary approval will be sanctioned in this is regard; if an official from his Department will contact the applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24680/02]
Applications for loans for the purchase of these properties were received in my Department from Leitrim County Council on 15 October, 2002. They were examined in my Department and the local authority was advised recently that the applications, as submitted, could not be approved. My Department's main concerns relate to the condition, standard and cost of the properties proposed to be acquired.
Leitrim County Council was informed at the same time that officials from my Department would be willing to meet those of the local authority and the voluntary body to discuss issues regarding these applications.
421 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will give details of the loan facilities which are available from local authorities via the shared ownership scheme and-or affordable housing initiatives for persons who are working legally here under the work permit system; if local authorities are empowered in considering all of the relevant circumstances to allocate such persons loans who wish to avail of the shared ownership schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24772/02]
The implementation of housing loan schemes such as the shared ownership and affordable housing schemes are matters for individual local authorities. To be eligible for either scheme applicants must satisfy the local authority that they are in need of housing and their income satisfies the income test such that in the case of a single income household gross income does not exceed €32,000 and in the case of a two income household, such that two and a half times the gross income of the principal earner plus once the gross income of the subsidiary earner does not exceed €80,000, or a person whose application for local authority housing has been approved by the local authority, or a local authority tenant or tenant purchaser who wishes to buy a private house and to return their present house to the local authority, or a tenant for more than one year of a house provided by a voluntary body under the rental subsidy scheme who wishes to buy a private house and return their present house to the voluntary body.
Persons working legally under a work permit may be considered for a loan under either scheme provided they meet the criteria outlined above.
