Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 January 2025
716. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the tenant purchase scheme for local authority tenants is currently suspended (i.e., for December); if so, the reason therefor; and if not, when it will be. [46406/24]
View answer729. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed at length regarding the tenant purchase scheme with a local authority; and if advice will be provided on this issue. [46694/24]
View answer763. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of people that availed of the tenant (incremental) purchase scheme 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1057/25]
View answer773. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria under which a tenant may purchase a home that they are renting from a local authority; the criteria if the property is a detached dwelling or bungalow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1234/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 716, 729, 763 and 773 together.
The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 came into operation on 1 January 2016 and allows tenants of local authority houses to apply to purchase their home. The scheme is governed by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended, and is open to eligible tenants of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme.
In order to be eligible to purchase a house under the Scheme, tenants must have a reckonable annual income of €11,000 and have been in receipt of social housing supports for at least 10 years, as determined by the local authority in accordance with the rules of the scheme. Social housing supports include HAP, RAS or 10 years tenancy of a local authority dwelling, or a combination of these supports. In the case of joint applications, only one tenant is required to have been in receipt of social housing supports for a period of 10 years.
While the Regulations provide for specified classes of houses to be excluded from sale, they do not specifically exclude the sale of detached houses or bungalows, and the purchase criteria for these houses is as described above. That said, local authorities may, within the provisions of the regulations, exclude houses which they consider should not be sold for reasons such as proper stock or estate management. Such decisions are matters solely for local authorities having regard to their respective housing requirements.
The method for determining a purchase price is set out in the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015. The Act also includes provision for a housing authority to take into consideration any material improvements made to the house by tenants, where written permission has been obtained in advance of these material improvements taking place. Prior written consent is not required for minor improvements, such as decorating.
Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. The operation of and any decisions made in respect of the Scheme are, therefore, entirely a matter for the local authority concerned and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual cases.
Further information regarding the criteria under which a local authority tenant may purchase their home may be found on my Department's website: gov.ie - Incremental Tenant Purchase Scheme for existing local authority houses .
Statistical information regarding the number of homes sold under the Scheme, from the beginning of the Scheme until the end of 2023, broken down by local authority area, is also available from my Department’s website: www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#sale-of-local-authority-houses . Data for 2024 is being collected and collated.
The Act and the Regulations underpinning the Scheme remain in force at this time, and my Department has not suspended the Scheme.
