Vol. 508 No. 1
585 Mr. Hayes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his response to a recent media report (details supplied) on the issue of subsidised sites being made available by local authorities for the provision of affordable housing schemes; if similar cases have been brought to his attention; the actions, if any, he will take in view of these cases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18546/99]
The scheme for the sale of low cost housing sites is designed to assist people in need of housing to obtain sites from their local authority at low cost and to provide for their housing needs, either individually or through co-operative or voluntary housing bodies. The administration of this scheme is devolved to the local authorities and it is a matter for individual local authorities to fully assess applicants to ensure that the sites in question are being disposed of to eligible persons or bodies under the scheme.
I believe the case referred to by the Deputy to be an exceptional one. However, I would be concerned where in any individual case an apparently excessive profit was made on the early resale of a house provided on a low cost site. I understand that the local authority involved in this particular case has made arrangements that in all new disposals of low cost sites, there is a clause allowing for a tapered repayment of the subsidy similar to that under the affordable housing scheme. I will be requesting all local authorities to provide for a similar form of "clawback" arrangement under the low cost housing site scheme.
