Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----from that what he wishes. I am not here to announce the actual scheme but I am confident that the continuation and the extension of the scheme will occur. I know from my conversations with the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, that this scheme seems to have caught the Department by surprise. I am surprised at the surprise. It is a 40-year loan at a fixed rate of 2.2%. There is no such offering anywhere else. If a person cannot meet the other lenders' criteria, this is a superb chance for him or her to get the first opportunity on the housing ladder. It will be very soon. The message went out very clearly from the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government for the local authorities to continue to accept applications. While the tranche of funding was not there to meet the demand, I am satisfied that it will be there.

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