Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 February 2013

Thursday, 28 February 2013

Ceisteanna (166)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

166. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, in respect of the low income subsidy granted to some holders of local authority shared-ownership loans, his attention has been drawn to the fact that the subsidy is assessed by local authorities at a single point in the calendar year, that as a result the benefit is often not available to persons who would otherwise qualify for long periods of time, causing significant financial difficulties; the way he proposes to address this anomaly; if he will provide details of all circulars issued from his Department on the administration of shared-ownership loans in the past ten years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10761/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

Under the Affordable Housing Scheme a mortgage subsidy is payable to qualifying households based on income bands. A similar subsidy applies under the Shared Ownership Scheme towards the rent payment for that portion of the equity not yet purchased. The level of subsidy ranges between €2,550 for incomes up to €13,000 and €1,050 for incomes up to €28,000 and its application is a matter for the individual housing authorities.

Local authority mortgage holders – including those who purchased under shared ownership – also benefit from extremely keenly priced interest rates which generally run at around 0.5% lower than the best rates available in the market.

The review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts announced in the context of the standing down of affordable housing schemes as part of the Government’s housing policy statement will include an examination of the operational aspects of the shared ownership scheme. That review is currently advanced and I expect the consultants’ report that informs the review will be published shortly. Any future changes to legislation governing affordable housing schemes, including the shared ownership scheme, will be made in the context of this review.