Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2022
84. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the required regulations setting out the criteria of the local authority affordable purchase scheme will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22159/22]
View answerTwo sets of Regulations which will underpin the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, made under the provisions of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, were signed by the Minister and came into effect on 13 April 2022. Notice was published in Iris Oifigiúil on 19 March, and the text of the regulations is available on the Irish Statute Book website maintained by the Office of the Attorney General. The two sets of Regulations were circulated to Local Authorities, the Housing Agency, the Housing Finance Agency, the Land Development Agency, and the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office on 20 April 2022.
The Affordable Housing Regulations 2022, made with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, deal with the assessment of income/means as part of eligibility for an Affordable Dwelling Purchase Arrangement. The text of these Regulations is available online at:
www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2022/si/183/made/en/print
The Affordable Housing (No. 2) Regulations 2022 prescribe, among other things, the notification of affordable dwelling schemes to the public, the use by Local Authorities of schemes of priority, the calculation of home purchase prices and the equity shares to be taken by the Local Authority, and the minimum payment for a homeowner redeeming the Local Authority's equity interest. The text of these Regulations is available online at:
www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2022/si/184/made/en/print
Further guidance and Regulations will be developed over the coming months to underpin the delivery of affordable housing by Local Authorities under the provisions of the Affordable Housing Act 2021.
