Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 October 2018
244. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if some county councils require that applicants for Rebuilding Ireland home loans pay council legal fees as part of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41313/18]
View answer245. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to an anomaly in the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme whereby some applicants are being forced to foot legal fees in local authority areas in which there is no dedicated council law department; his views on whether this geographic lottery and the associated costs is an unfair burden on applicants; the steps he will take to address this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41318/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together.
The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan was launched in February 2018. It replaced both the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan schemes in order to enable credit-worthy lower-income individuals and families, who cannot secure sufficient finance to purchase a suitable home from a commercial lender, to secure a mortgage. My Department, in conjunction with the Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency, is continuing to monitor the operation of the scheme, with a view to addressing any issues that arise, as required.
With regard to the Deputy's question concerning legal fees, under the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, potential borrowers will incur legal fees as part of the normal house purchase process. However, possible issues concerning the application of certain legal fees have been brought to my Department's attention recently and these matters are currently under examination.
