Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I take those points on board. There are very important issues raised by the Deputy that we have to address.

The processing time of individual loans can legitimately vary. There may be specific information required to confirm eligibility or creditworthiness, depending on the facts of the case. There may be delays in the transaction that are not under the control of the local authorities, but I accept that there may be some variations in processing times across local authorities. I agree with you, a Cheann Comhairle, that this needs to be addressed. I will ask my Department to look into the concerns Deputy Colm Burke has raised this evening. It is really important we do so. The last thing we want is to inhibit families from taking up the important opportunity to be able to purchase a home.

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