Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 35: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made towards the introduction of a rent to buy scheme to deal with the problem of unsold affordable housing; if he has issued any direction or guidelines to local authorities on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15939/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Very considerable progress has been made on both the sale of affordable housing and the deployment of unsold affordable homes for other purposes, including temporary use under the social leasing or RAS schemes. While the sale of the affordable units on hands remains the preferred option, the local authorities have available to them a range of options to bring these units into use. Local authorities are continuing their work in this regard, supported by my Department and the Affordable Homes Partnership.

I have no immediate plans to introduce a general rent-to-buy scheme across all local authorities because I do not believe such a scheme is needed in areas where there are only very small numbers of unsold units on hands. However, Dublin City Council has been given approval in principle by my Department for its proposal for a pilot scheme of "Rent to Buy" for a small number of unsold affordable homes in some developments in Dublin City. Details of the proposed scheme are now being finalised. Once operational, this pilot will be reviewed before deciding whether it would be appropriate to make such a scheme available in any other urban local authorities where there are significant numbers of unsold affordable homes.

Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 36: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of applications received and the number of loans drawn down for the home choice loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16077/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Over 1,400 prospective purchasers have formally registered interest on the dedicated Home Choice loan website and, to date, 58 applications have been made. Of these, four have been approved and three loans have been drawn down.