Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 February 2010
528 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the introduction of a rent to buy scheme to replace the affordable homes scheme which has left many local authorities with unsaleable properties on their hands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7934/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt any given time, whatever the prevailing market conditions, there will always be a certain level of stock of unsold affordable units on hands, including units in the course of being sold or being readied for sale. Very considerable progress continues to be made on the sale of affordable housing with over 1,300 affordable homes sold in the first 9 months of 2009, despite the current difficult economic and banking climate, and on the deployment of unsold affordable homes for other purposes, including temporary use under the social leasing or RAS schemes.
The immediate focus for affordable housing in the period ahead is on continuing to progress measures to ensure the most effective deployment of the remaining 1,100 or so unsold affordable homes which are not yet in use. Local authorities are continuing their work in this regard, supported by my Department and the Affordable Homes Partnership.
I have no immediate plans to introduce a general rent-to-buy scheme across all local authorities because I do not believe such a scheme is needed in areas where there are only very small numbers of unsold units on hands. However, my Department is considering whether a pilot scheme operating in a small number of suitable areas may have potential.
