Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
297. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a new statutory instrument is required to amend the tenant purchase scheme as recently announced in the Housing for All plan; if so, when a statutory instrument will be published, and the amended scheme term and conditions made available to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47692/21]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
Housing for All, a new Housing plan for Ireland, commits to maintaining the right of social housing tenants to purchase their own home with some changes to income eligibility to allow older tenants to buy their homes if they have the means. It will also be required that tenants have been in situ for 10 years. The maximum discount will be reduced to a maximum of 25%. This will ensure that we strike a balance between enabling tenants to purchase their homes and replenishment of the social housing stock to make homes available for those on the waiting list.
My Department is currently reviewing the Tenant Purchase Scheme and considering the amendments which may be required to both primary and secondary legislation and I will bring forward proposed changes as part of a package of social housing reforms in due course.
