Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2024
313. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if changes to the tenant incremental purchase scheme, which come into force on 29 January 2024, mean that tenants of Part V houses can purchase their homes under the tenant incremental purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3615/24]
View answerThe Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015. The 2015 regulations were amended by the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, which came into effect on 29 January 2024.
These amendments include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required in order to qualify to purchase a house under the Scheme, to €11,000 per annum. In addition in the case of joint applications, only one tenant must now be in receipt of social housing supports for at least 10 years to qualify for the scheme.
The Ministerial Directions on Reckonable Income were also amended, and from that date the Widow's, Widower's, Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory and Non-Contributory), Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, and Disability Allowance, are considered to be primary reckonable income for the purposes of determining eligibility for the Scheme. Furthermore, the Working Family Payment, Age 80 (Pension) increase, and the Rural Social Scheme will now be considered as secondary sources of income.
The regulations exclude specified classes of houses from sale, including those provided to local authorities under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The Part V provisions seek to promote social integration and secure mixed tenure, sustainable communities. Accordingly, Part V properties continue to be excluded from the scheme to ensure the original policy goals of the legislation are not eroded over time and the properties remain available for people most in need of social housing support.
