James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the position regarding funding for the insulations of local authority houses in 2011, in view of the fact that many tenants were afraid to turn on storage heaters during the last cold spell this winter, as they remembered the cost of same during winter 2010, when electric bills for two months were in excess of €700, as in County Longford there are over 400 local authority houses with electrical storing heating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18102/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Under my Department's Social Housing Improvement Programme, funding of up to 90% of the approved cost is provided to Housing Authorities to undertake improvement works to occupied and vacant social housing units, including works to improve the energy efficiency and general standard of the houses concerned. Some €31 million is being made available for this purpose in 2011. Typically the range of works include attic and wall insulation to reduce heat loss as well as replacement of windows and external doors.

Longford County Council received an allocation of €425,000 in respect of improvement works to their social housing stock in 2011. It is a matter for the Council to select the properties to be upgraded and to determine the nature and the scale of the works to be undertaken in each case. In 2010, some €473,000 was provided in respect of improvements to the social housing stock in County Longford.

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government the cut off date that applies to the current tenant purchase scheme for council tenants; if he will confirm that a maximum 45% discount is available; if the 20 year stipulation applies regarding the re-sale of the property; if it is intended that the scheme will be replaced by an incremental purchase scheme; if so, when will this be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18108/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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A new tenant purchase scheme under the provisions of section 90 of the Housing Act, 1966 – the 2011 Tenant Purchase Scheme - was introduced in February to allow local authority tenants to avail of a discount of up to 45% on the market price of a house they are eligible to purchase under the scheme. This scheme applies only to tenants of 10 years standing or longer, and will be open for applications only until the end of 2011.

The purchaser and/or his/her family must live in the house for 20 years, unless the local authority gives consent to relax this condition. If the purchaser wishes to sell the house within 20 years, the consent of the local authority must be obtained. This consent may be refused in certain circumstances. These conditions are similar to those applied in the 1995 scheme.

The new scheme does not replace the existing 1995 Tenant Purchase Scheme, which remains in place for tenants with up to 10 years tenancy and provides for a maximum discount of 30%. However, as announced in June 2010, it remains the intention that the tenant purchase arrangements be wound down in 2012 to be replaced by a new scheme based on the incremental purchase model. This change will require amending legislation.