Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 391: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if detailed legislation is now in place for the sale of existing local authority houses to tenants based on the incremental purchase model as contained in Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009; and when it is reasonable for a tenant to begin this process. [26316/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 provides for an incremental purchase scheme in respect of newly-built houses reserved by housing authorities and approved housing bodies for the purpose. I recently made the necessary statutory instruments bringing the scheme into operation from 14 June 2010.

When I announced the details of the new scheme, I indicated my intention to introduce legislation in 2011 to underpin a new scheme for the sale of existing local authority houses to tenants based on the incremental purchase model. This scheme will replace the current tenant purchase scheme, introduced in 1995. To ensure an orderly wind-down of the existing scheme, I have asked housing authorities to inform all existing tenants of houses as soon as possible (and new tenants on allocation of a house) of the decision to end the scheme, so that they have enough time to apply to purchase their home under the existing scheme, if they so wish. I will make regulations in due course setting a closing date 2 years hence for the receipt of purchase applications under the 1995 scheme.

Part 4 of the 2009 Act provides for tenant purchase, along incremental purchase lines, of apartments in designated existing local authority complexes. I expect to make the necessary statutory instrument by the end of the year to enable the apartments sales scheme to be brought into operation as quickly as possible.