Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 May 2021
59. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of approvals and rejections of applications of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme by each local authority including the reasoning for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23305/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Housing Agency provides a central support service which assesses applications for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan on behalf of local authorities and makes recommendations to the authorities to approve or refuse applications. Each local authority must have in place a credit committee and it is a matter for the committee to make the decision on applications for loans, in accordance with the regulations, having regard to the recommendations made by the Housing Agency.
The most recent figures, as at the end of March 2021, from the Agency on the numbers of applications that it has assessed and recommended for approval/decline for each local authority since the scheme began in February 2018, are included in the below table:
|
Local Authority |
Applications Assessed |
Recommended to Approve |
Recommended to Decline |
|
Carlow County Council |
105 |
38 |
67 |
|
Cavan County Council |
32 |
13 |
19 |
|
Clare County Council |
130 |
55 |
75 |
|
Cork City Council |
366 |
158 |
208 |
|
Cork County Council |
634 |
314 |
320 |
|
Donegal County Council |
93 |
41 |
52 |
|
Dublin City Council |
906 |
549 |
357 |
|
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council |
189 |
104 |
85 |
|
Fingal County Council |
1018 |
572 |
446 |
|
Galway City Council |
153 |
81 |
72 |
|
Galway County Council |
267 |
94 |
173 |
|
Kerry County Council |
269 |
101 |
168 |
|
Kildare County Council |
338 |
168 |
170 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
126 |
65 |
61 |
|
Laois County Council |
188 |
90 |
98 |
|
Leitrim County Council |
39 |
10 |
29 |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
214 |
119 |
95 |
|
Longford County Council |
97 |
50 |
47 |
|
Louth County Council |
227 |
97 |
130 |
|
Mayo County Council |
124 |
45 |
79 |
|
Meath County Council |
418 |
263 |
155 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
98 |
29 |
69 |
|
Offaly County Council |
83 |
34 |
49 |
|
Roscommon County Council |
85 |
39 |
46 |
|
Sligo County Council |
102 |
43 |
59 |
|
South Dublin County Council |
531 |
274 |
257 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
208 |
93 |
115 |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
193 |
70 |
123 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
78 |
46 |
32 |
|
Wexford County Council |
274 |
127 |
147 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
364 |
160 |
204 |
|
Total |
7949 |
3942 |
4007 |
The most common reasons for applications being declined are as follows
- Repayment Capacity Not Demonstrated
- Net Income Ratio Outside of Policy
- Unsatisfactory Savings Record
- Unsatisfactory ICB Report
- Outside Credit Policy
- Unsatisfactory Financial Management
- Other
The final decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and it’s Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis. Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the Scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants.
Loan applicants who are dissatisfied with a loan application decision of a local authority Credit Committee may appeal that decision to the local authority. Details of the appeals process can be obtained from the relevant local authority.
