Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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120. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the assistance, incentives or grants available to first-time buyers of residential properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23897/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement announced the standing down of all affordable housing schemes in the context of a full review of Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000-2013. Details regarding the review are avail able on my Department’s website:

As regards the review of Part V, the recently published Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sectorprovides that the review will be completed in Q2 of 2014. It is anticipated that any legislative changes required on foot of the review will be incorporated in the General Scheme of a Planning Bill, which is currently in preparation.

The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014, currently at Committee Stage in the Dáil, includes provision for, among other things, a new tenant purchase scheme for existing local authority houses.  Under the terms of the Bill, the new scheme will be open to tenants who have not previously purchased a dwelling under a tenant or incremental purchase scheme.  I expect that the Bill will be enacted by the summer recess, following which I will prescribe the commencement date and the detailed terms of the scheme. 

There are no grants available from my Department to assist first time buyers of residential properties.