Vol. 456 No. 8
46 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for the Environment if he will explain the August 1995 pamphlet entitled Build A New House issued by his Department regarding shared ownership; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that local authorities are refusing to entertain a shared ownership application where the applicant wishes to build his own house; and to further ask him to make a statement to clarify the position. [14745/95]
I presume the question refers to the leaflet on shared ownership published by my Department in August 1995. Under the shared ownership system, an eligible applicant may select a new or existing house or build a new house. In assessing an applicant's eligibility, the local authority must be satisfied that the house is suitable to the applicant's needs and meets certain minimum standards and that the applicant is in a position to meet the outgoings on the house. The system is administered by local authorities and particulars relating to the handling of individual applications are not available in my Department.
