Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy and I will take on board all the points he made. I will bring them back to our officials when the review comes back from the agency and we will look at what is assessable or not. He has raised a few issues that are worth looking at. I am satisfied that the current income limits and the current scheme are generally fair and equitable. I think people will agree that it is across the board and that it deals with most cases. I accept that in some cases, it leaves households outside the income brackets but generally, it does identify those households unable to provide accommodation from their own resources. The review is about seeing whether the limits need to be changed. It also gives us a timely way to look at all of the different income limits and income sources that are assessable.

The Government is aware of the challenges faced by households in meeting their housing costs. It is the subject to debate here week in and week out for the past couple of years. Dealing with this is the Government's number one priority. We accept that the supply of housing will help all of this but it also is quite clear that the property and employment markets have changed dramatically over the last couple of years. The limits were set in 2011 and we recognise the importance of having them reviewed to reflect that reality as well. We have acted to support those households a little above the income eligibility thresholds for social housing supports.

In February this year, a new loan offering known as the Rebuilding Ireland home loan was launched. The new fixed interest rate loan will help middle-income households, earning up to €50,000 as a single person or €75,000 as a couple, to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. Over 50% of the applicants for that are qualifying and are being approved for a loan to help them get a house. My colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government has also recently placed a new scheme for affordable purchase on a statutory footing. My Department is working with the key local authorities and the Housing Agency to identify sites that would see a significant quantity of affordable homes being delivered on local authority owned land. We have been working with them for the past year to bring forward the plans on public lands to be able to deliver affordable houses as well. It all beginning to align and the focus in this part - now that we have got the social housing system changed - is to move on to adapt affordable housing and looking at the income limits.

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