Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2013
428. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if an application for a local authority tenant purchase scheme will be considered if an applicant had the necessary deposit as well as guaranteed weekly income required, the applicant being a retired person on a pension who took early retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18380/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 1995 tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses closed for new applications on 31 December 2012. However, two tenant purchase schemes by way of incremental purchase remain in operation, one for newly-built local authority houses and the other for existing local authority apartments. It is a matter for the housing authority concerned to decide whether or not it is appropriate to accept an application for the above schemes. However, it is of critical importance that authorities apply sound lending criteria in deciding whether to advance house purchase loans in individual cases. My Department and individual local authorities have a responsibility to ensure that mortgage lending is prudentially based and that the capacity of a borrower fully to service a loan over the full term is realistically assessed and stress-tested.
