Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 22 March 2022
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government
Social and Affordable Housing: Discussion
Mr. Barry O'Leary:
We assume nothing of the sort. We have a three-tiered approach. We look at their past, present and future when deciding if we will lend to them. When they get through that process, we lend on a project-by-project basis. Once a year, we do the general review anyway. There is a constant review done to make sure they are suitable because their operating costs and various other things ebb and flow. We have not had the situation so far where any of the 19 were in danger of being disqualified, for want of a better description. What we have had is that some of the 19 AHBs did not meet the threshold in the early stages of their application but have since met the threshold. There is ongoing engagement with them to say that we think they need to strengthen in this area or that. They have done so, and a number have reached that threshold but we are very cautious. As to the credit committee that looks after us, we have a board of 12 directors, six or seven of whom are on the credit committee and they are all over the annual reviews. I can assure the Chair that there is quite a bit of debate on that.
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