Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is aware of the unprecedented scale of the housing programme being put in place by the Government for the building of social housing as well as the purchase by county councils of housing for tenants. Funding is also being made available to renovate houses that are not up to standard and make them fit for purpose.

I will inform the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, of the Deputy's comments in respect of non-qualification for the tenant purchase scheme. That scheme used to work very well years ago. When a person got a house from a council he or she was given the opportunity once every five or ten years to sign up to buy the house. A previous Minister sold off all of the houses for very low fees and put an end to that.

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