I move:
That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to enable a housing authority to sell a dwelling acquired by a housing authority under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 to a tenant of such a dwelling.
I introduce this Bill on foot of the tenant purchase scheme the Government initiated last January. Unfortunately it has proven to be wholly inadequate when we consider the fact that only 73 applications have been made under the scheme. Many issues arise, not least the income limits, age barriers and the fact voluntary housing body tenants cannot buy out their houses. The housing report issued by the special committee in recent weeks sought an urgent and immediate review of the scheme. Notwithstanding this, I propose that the Bill be taken to address the fact those tenants in Part V accommodation do not have the same rights as their counterparts in local authority units, for whom the tenancies are very much the same. They do not have the opportunity or option to qualify under the scheme. The Bill seeks the support of the House to rectify this so these people are not discriminated against, and I hope and expect full support in this regard.
