Local Authority Housing Mortgages

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 March 2015

Tuesday, 24 March 2015

Questions (863, 867)

Brian Stanley

Question:

863. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a new tenant purchase scheme will be introduced. [11137/15]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

867. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a revised tenant purchase scheme will be made available to local authority tenants, and owners of shared ownership mortgages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11179/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 863 and 867 together.

Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. The Government's Social Housing Strategy 2020 includes a commitment to introduce the new tenant purchase scheme by the second quarter of 2015. Full details of the new scheme will be set out in Regulations that will be made in advance of its introduction.

Under the Act, the Scheme will be open to local authority tenants who have been in receipt of social housing support for a prescribed period of at least one year. The scheme does not provide for tenant purchase by way of shared ownership, nor will it be available to the owners of shared ownership mortgages who part purchased their dwellings under either the 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme or affordable housing schemes.