Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Housing Agency has recommended 1,772 applications for approval to the end of February this year. At the end of February the agency had assessed 4,153 applications since the scheme had opened. Clearly, there is a lot of demand for the scheme which is proving to be very successful, despite some initial criticism of it. There has been a big uptake of it and we need to make sure it is adequately funded. We cannot approve the allocation of money that is not available. Therefore, the Ministers for Housing, Planning and Local Government and Finance are looking at ways by which we can continue the scheme and make sure it is properly funded in order that the demand can be met.

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