Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I commenced a review of the scheme last autumn. We got independent people to work with the Department. It has proposals on certain matters such as making sure there is consistency in how applications are treated across local authority areas and trying to further improve the timelines between an application being made and approval being given. There are other ideas rather than recommendations about the scheme and how it might be changed into the future, depending on if the policy direction will go that way. I have read that report and have referred back with further questions on the review. It is something the Department continues to consider as it examines the operation of this very successful home loan scheme.

With regard to differential rents, there are a number of matters in social housing policy that will be reformed in the coming period. We are trying to tie them together so we can do it all at the same time in order that people can be clear about what changes are coming. We are working on them at present. We had a timeline to tie them together this month, but that is becoming increasingly difficult due to different things, and not just Brexit, that are happening this month. If it is not March, I hope it will be April. There will be a few items in that relating to social housing policy which the committee will wish to discuss.