Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2009
402 Deputy Christy O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a home choice loan is available to those who have been approved affordable sites from a local authority and hope to build their family home, and for those people hoping to buy affordable housing from a local authority. [6037/09]
View answer404 Deputy Christy O’Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if there is evidence that a clause, whereby a local authority has a first claim on an affordable site bought by a family hoping to build their family home, is proving an impediment for those people when they seek a home choice loan. [6044/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 404 together.
The Home Choice Loan scheme is available to first time buyers of new houses or self-builds, subject to a maximum loan of €285,000 or maximum LTV of 92% (whichever is the lesser). A minimum income requirement of €40,000 for single applicants and €50,000 for joint applicants applies.
The low cost sites scheme is targeted at lower income households such as households approved for social housing by a local authority, local authority tenants or tenant purchasers, or certain tenants of voluntary housing associations. Such households may be eligible for normal local authority house purchase loans, the income eligibility limits for which are €40,000 for a single income household and €100,000 for a dual income household.
Under article 3(2) of the Housing (Home Choice Loan) Regulations 2008 the Home Choice Loan scheme is not available to prospective purchasers of affordable housing, households availing of the Shared Ownership Scheme or households wishing to purchase under the Tenant Purchase Scheme.
