Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
267. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the new tenant purchase scheme will be available to council tenants in County Tipperary; the reason that no information has been forthcoming despite it being due to come into effect from 1 February 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32376/22]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme was reviewed in 2021 in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments.
The amendments, which came into effect on 1st February 2022, include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme from €15,000 to €12,500. The time an applicant is required to be in receipt of social housing supports to be able to apply under the scheme has also been revised. This has been increased from one to ten years. Local authorities were formally advised of these amendments by Circular on 12 January 2022.
Applications received by local authorities prior to 1 February 2022 should be assessed with reference to the regulations and requirements in place at the time, with applications received after 1 February 2022 assessed in accordance with the new requirements.
While local authorities have already been formally advised of these changes, revised scheme guidelines, and a Ministerial Order giving effect to changes in the treatment of the State contributory and non-contributory pensions for reckonable income purposes, will issue shortly.
