Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 358: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if recipients of carer's allowance are precluded from tenant purchase schemes and if so whether consideration can be given to amending this on account of the special nature of the carer's allowance scheme. [24975/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Tenant purchase schemes are open to applications from eligible tenants in accordance with the relevant regulations and the terms of the schemes adopted by individual local authorities. The eligibility criteria for the schemes do not exclude recipients of carer's allowance nor any other category of applicant by reason solely of their occupation or their being in receipt of social welfare payments. If the application is approved, the purchase may be funded by mortgage loan from a commercial institution, by local authority loan or from a tenant's own resources. Provisions governing mortgage lending by local authorities are set out under the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2009 and associated credit policy. To ensure effective targeting of resources, loan finance continues to be available to first-time buyers only. Income limits are also in place, distinguishing between single and dual income households and a maximum loan limit is applied. In assessing loan applications, local authorities take account of the household's ability to finance the loan based on their net household income. While, as a general rule, the credit policy provides that loans are not available to those in receipt of unemployment or social welfare benefits, an exception may be made where there is a primary income of a permanent waged or salaried nature, and where the secondary income is from the Department of Social Protection. In such cases, long-term social welfare payments can be considered, provided the long-term nature of the payment is confirmed. The final decision on whether to grant or refuse an applicant lies solely with the relevant local authority. All local authorities must satisfy themselves on the financial risk they are undertaking. These provisions apply for purposes of mortgage lending by all local authorities.