Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 May 2023
379. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if support or a scheme is available for a self-employed person on €140,000 who does not qualify for a mortgage due to lack of savings and is facing homelessness due to eviction. [21805/23]
View answerAffordability and the chance to own a home is at the heart of the Government’s housing policy. As detailed in the Housing for All strategy, the Government has introduced a number of measures to support households and individuals wishing to purchase a home, or those who wish to securely rent a home, as well as increasing the overall supply of new homes, with an ambitious target of 300,000 new homes up to 2030.
Under Pathway 1 of this strategy, “Pathways to Home Ownership and Increasing Affordability”, two new Affordable Purchase schemes have been established (the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme and the First Home shared equity scheme), an improved Local Authority Home Loan scheme, and the introduction of a new form of rental tenure in Cost Rental tenancies.
These schemes are primarily aimed at supporting affordability constrained middle income earners and first-time buyers, whilst also encouraging additional housing development to increase overall supply. The eligibility of an applicant for these schemes will be determined based on scheme specific selection criteria, application assessment, and terms and conditions as deemed appropriate by the respective scheme provider.
Other measures, such as the Help to Buy Scheme, are also nationally available to eligible first-time purchasers to make home ownership more affordable.
The new Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant is also available nationwide and it provides for grants for refurbishment of vacant properties of up to €30,000 or €50,000 if the property is derelict. As recently agreed by Cabinet, the scheme will be extended in the near future, with the grants being increased from €30,000 to €50,000 for vacant properties and from €50,000 to €70,000 for derelict properties, extended to cover houses built up to 2007, and will be available for properties intended for rental as well as owner-occupied.
I also announced last year, a new Ready to Build serviced sites scheme under the Fund where local authorities will provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. Information on both of these schemes is available directly from local authorities.
In addition the Government has agreed on a number of new measures to increase housing options. These include developing a legislative provision which may require a landlord selling a property to offer “First Right of Refusal” to a tenant. Furthermore, the Board of First Home Scheme Designated Active Company has agreed to extend eligibility of the scheme, making the scheme available to sitting tenants who have been issued a Notice of Termination and offered first right of refusal. The same eligibility criteria will apply and this element of the Scheme has been open for qualifying applicants since 17 April.
Full details of the First Home Scheme, including eligibility criteria, details of the revised price ceilings that came into effect 1 January this year, and how to apply are available on the scheme website:www.firsthomescheme.ie
Lastly, it is important to note that matters such as mortgage deposit requirements and mortgage borrowing ability come under the remit of the Central Bank of Ireland, which is an independent body. Relevant information is available at the following Central Bank link:
www.centralbank.ie/financial-system/financial-stability/macro-prudential-policy/mortgage-measures
