Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 520: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the legislation, primary and secondary including statutory instrument references, governing the shared ownership housing schemes operated by local authorities; and if a local authority is entitled to restrict the shared ownership scheme only to houses covered under its affordable housing scheme. [27364/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, as amended, enables local authorities to grant shared ownership leases, and permits the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to make regulations governing the operation of the scheme. No regulations have been made to date. However, the income limits for eligibility for a local authority housing loan to purchase by way of shared ownership and the maximum loan available are reviewed regularly and changes made by statutory instrument from time to time. These are notified to local authorities by way of circular letter.

The administration of the shared ownership scheme, including selection of the housing units, is a matter for individual local authorities. Accordingly, it is open to a local authority to limit the sale of houses by way of shared ownership to those provided under its affordable housing scheme.