Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 February 2012
447 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the affordable housing programme has been disbanded completely by Dublin City Council and all other local authorities; if so, whether he is considering any measures to facilitate families and persons who are having serious difficulties in buying homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9311/12]
View answerOn 16 June 2011 the Government's new housing policy statement was launched by my predecessor, Mr. W Penrose, as Minister for Housing. This now serves as a framework for a substantial housing policy reform programme that places specific emphasis on:
choice;
equity across housing tenures; and
delivering quality outcomes for the resources invested.
The policy statement also formally announces the standing down of all affordable housing schemes, including shared ownership, in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. A request for tenders for this review has been published recently on the "eTenders" procurement website (www.etenders.gov.ie). The closing date for the receipt of tenders is 24 February 2012.
The Government is committed to supporting access to home ownership for lower income households and a range of paths to home ownership will remain in place in that regard. These include the incremental purchase scheme, the availability of loan finance from local authorities for house purchase, including open market purchase, and the tenant purchase scheme.
