Barry Cowen
Ceist:189. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the tenant purchase scheme sales in each of the years 2000 to 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3612/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 24 January 2018
Ceisteanna (189)
Freagraí scríofa
The current Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme. To be eligible, tenants must meet certain criteria, including having a minimum reckonable income of €15,000 per annum and having been in receipt of social housing support for at least one year.
Local authorities are by law (Section 63(1) of the Local Government Act 2001) independent in the performance of their functions. The operation of the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is a matter for the local authority concerned, in line with legislation, including the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015.
Relevant data for 2017 is not yet available. However, information on sale of local authority houses in previous years can be found on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/housing/statistics/social-and-affordble/other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics.
Any sales during the period 2011-2015 inclusive were made under the terms of predecessor schemes to the current Scheme, namely the 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme or the 2011 Fixed Term Tenant Purchase Scheme for long-standing Tenants.