Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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598. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if discretion is being left to voluntary housing associations to allocate tenancies to returning emigrants under the safe home programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6031/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Under my Department’s Capital Assistance Scheme, funding of up to 100% of the approved cost of a social housing development can be provided where all prospective tenancies are taken from the local authority housing waiting list. Allocations are made by the approved housing body in consultation with the local authority.Where an approved housing body retains 25% of tenancy nomination rights, funding of up to 95% of the approved cost of a development is available. These tenancy allocations are made at the discretion of the approved housing bodies. This can allow flexibility within a housing project in order to accommodate those persons who may not qualify for the local authority waiting list but would be in need of housing. Tenancies can also be allocated to elderly returning emigrants who are taken off a list of persons assessed as in need of housing by the Safe Home organisation who carry out an assessment of applications for housing from such emigrants.

Full details in relation to the Capital Assistance Scheme including the lettings policy are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

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