Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if a formula has been devised to provide local authorities or their tenants under the social housing leasing initiative with a mechanism to purchase the actual unit they are occupying; if any such lease agreement has been entered into to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22243/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Social Housing Leasing Initiative, local authorities may include an option to purchase the lease dwellings within the lease contract, which means where this clause is invoked it will provide tenants with the opportunity to purchase the units that they are currently occupying from the local authority. To date, the majority of privately owned leased properties that have been agreed or are currently being negotiated have or are including an option to purchase clause. The Department is also examining the potential for tenants in some instances to be able to purchase the unit they are occupying directly from the owner. In addition, the recently announced Incremental Purchase Scheme will provide the opportunity for a household in a leased property to move to, and purchase, a dwelling provided by a housing authority or an approved housing body under the scheme and to avail of the relevant subsidies and discounts.