Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
846. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he intends to have a new scheme in place to enable tenant to purchase their local authority houses. [36845/13]
View answer930. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider any new tenant purchase scheme for local authority dwellers in view of the fact that the previous scheme finished in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37947/13]
View answer952. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will prioritise plans for the introduction of a new tenant purchase scheme to enable council tenants to purchase and own their homes from the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38339/13]
View answer966. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when details of the new tenant purchase scheme will be made available; when the new scheme will be open to tenants that wish to make an application; if he will introduce a new tenant purchase scheme as at present no such scheme exists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38627/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 846, 930, 952 and 966 together.
While the 1995 tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses closed for new applications on 31 December 2012, two incremental purchase schemes remain in operation, one for newly-built local authority houses and the other for local authority apartments.
Work is proceeding on the preparation of the General Scheme of a Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill , which is expected to be submitted to Government later this year for approval to draft the Bill. Among other things, the Bill will underpin a new tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines, involving discounts for purchasing tenants linked to household income and a discount-related charge on the property that will dwindle away over a period unless the house is resold or the purchaser fails to comply with conditions of the sale. The commencement date for the new scheme will be set when the necessary regulations are made on enactment of the Bill.
