Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 November 2022
62. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends introducing an incentive for persons who are council tenants and could afford to build or buy their own house, to do so; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55862/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am confident the funding and targeted schemes committed to under Housing for All will deliver a greater supply of homes and increase access to purchasing affordable homes for all who aspire to do so, including local authority tenants.
Government has committed a record €4 billion current and capital funding in Budget 2022 to help increase homeownership. This investment, a 20% increase on 2021, includes:
- €75 million to help deliver 750 Cost Rental homes (and a further 830 supplied by the Land Development Agency),
- €55 million to deliver 500 Affordable Purchase homes (for first-time buyers), and
- €250 million for lending under the enhanced Local Authority Home Loan (for first-time buyers).
The investment will also support an extension of the Help-to-Buy scheme and introduction of the First Home scheme.
The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund is a new initiative which underpins the policy objectives set out in Pathway Four of Housing for All. Schemes under the Fund, which are delivered by local authorities, provide new choices for people to live in towns and villages in Ireland, through the provision of a grant to support the refurbishment of vacant properties and by providing serviced sites (the “Ready to Build Scheme”) in towns and villages for people to build their own homes.
Finally, the Tenant Purchase Scheme is also open to local authority tenants to buy houses available for sale under the scheme, subject to meeting certain eligibility and scheme criteria.
