Joe Flaherty
Question:422. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if holders of stamp 4 status in the country will be eligible to apply for the new local authority home loan. [5075/22]
View answerTuesday, 1 February 2022
Questions (422, 423)
Joe Flaherty
Question:423. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if holders of stamp 4 status in the country were refused the Rebuilding Ireland home loan on the basis of their residency in the country. [5076/22]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 422 and 423 together.
The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL).
As part of the eligibility criteria for the Local Authority Home Loan, applicants must currently have a legal right to reside and work in the State and must be able to demonstrate that they are habitually resident in Ireland. Furthermore, there are minimum periods of residence required;
- All Irish citizens are automatically legally resident. They will also need to be habitually resident in Ireland to be eligible for assessment.
- UK citizens will be regarded as being legally resident in Ireland. They will also need to be habitually resident in Ireland to be eligible for assessment. This accords with the Common Travel Area requirements.
- All EU/European Economic Area (EEA) citizens who are legally and habitually resident in the State will not be eligible to apply for a Local Authority Home Loan for the first three months of residence in the State. Thereafter, they will be eligible to apply if they are habitually resident in the State and meet the definition of ‘worker’ in EU law or have been legally and habitually resident in the State for more than five years.
- Non-EEA applicants from any other countries must be legally and habitually resident in Ireland for a period of 5 years; or have leave to remain extending to potentially permit five years reckonable residence; or have indefinite leave to remain in the State.
In terms of a Stamp 4 visa, not all holders of a Stamp 4 visa meet the criteria set out in relation to non-EEA applicants nor have the required period of residence. However, if the Stamp 4 visa holder does meet the criteria, they may be eligible to apply. The Department does not maintain records of refusals on grounds of residency.
The final decision on the Local Authority Home Loan applications is a matter for the relevant local authority. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure prudence and consistency in approaches in the best interests of both borrowers and the lending local authority.
Further information on the scheme is available on the dedicated website: www.localauthorityhomeloan.ie.
Question No. 423 answered with Question No. 422.