Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

145. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the tenant purchase scheme; his plans to reform the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10644/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Tenant (Incremental Purchase Scheme) provides for the purchase by eligible tenants, or joint tenants, of local authority homes available for sale under the scheme. It seeks to incentivise purchasers to remain in their homes and support sustainable communities.

The scheme was reviewed in 2021, with a number of amendments coming into effect from 1 February 2022.

The amendments included a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required from €15,000 to €12,500, facilitating older tenants, whose only income might be the contributory or non-contributory State pension, to buy their homes if they have the financial means to do so. The time an applicant is required to be in receipt of social housing supports to qualify under the scheme was also revised - this has been increased from one to ten years.

Further changes to the scheme are currently being examined by my Department as part of the work on the broader social housing reform agenda.