Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 June 2022
231. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent to which it is proposed to upgrade income qualification levels for local authority housing loans with a view to making such loans more readily available to suitable qualified applicants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33522/22]
View answerThe introduction of the Local Authority Home Loan was announced as part of Housing For All. This is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for people on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is available for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The Local Authority Home Loan can also be used for the purchase of homes through State schemes such as the Tenant Purchase Scheme and Affordable Housing Schemes, with the exception of the First Home Scheme.
The Local Authority Home Loan assists borrowers in securing an affordable, long-term fixed rate mortgage to purchase a home of their own. The Scheme supports home ownership amongst lower to moderate income households by reducing the cost of mortgage finance and increasing the level of financing available, particularly for single applicants in urban areas. For clarity, the Local Authority Home Loan supports private home ownership and is separate from the qualification for social housing.
Under the Local Authority Home Loan scheme the income ceiling for a single applicant in counties where the scheme's house price limit is €320,000 (Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow) has been increased from €50,000 to €65,000. In the rest of the country, where the scheme’s house price limit is €250,000, the income ceiling for a single applicant will remain at €50,000. The income ceiling for joint applicants remains at €75,000.
Further details can be found on the following websites localauthorityhomeloan.ie/ and www.gov.ie/en/service/00500-local-authority-home-loan-scheme/
