Housing Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 April 2022

Wednesday, 27 April 2022

Questions (87)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

87. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a Tenant Incremental Purchase Scheme application can be considered a joint application under a discretionary process considering the practicalities in such a circumstance further to the recent changes announced to the Tenant Incremental Purchase Scheme in which the applicants are married since 2008 but only one of the applicants is on the tenancy agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21352/22]

Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. 

The scheme was reviewed in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments in 2021, with amendments to these criteria subsequently approved by Government. The amendments came into effect on 1st February 2022.

A tenant is defined in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 as any person to whom a housing authority has let a house under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2014 or Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. An application by a spouse to become a joint tenant must be made to the relevant local authority. It is a matter for each local authority, as part of its housing management functions, to determine the conditions in relation to joint tenancies in its administrative area.