Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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590. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the criteria and conditions for the mortgage-to-rent scheme, which applies to rural areas and jurisdictions outside of cities, will be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24690/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Government has committed to taking decisive action to address the mortgage arrears challenge; to ensure that a full range of options is available to distressed borrowers; and to keep as many people in their homes as possible. As part of the package of commitments on mortgage arrears announced by Government recently, a number of amendments to the private (Approved Housing Body) mortgage to rent scheme are included, which will enable more properties to qualify for this scheme. These amendments will apply across the country regardless of the cases being in rural or urban areas. The administrative changes required will be in place by the end of this month.

My Department has been involved in on-going discussions internally, and with Approved Housing Bodies, Financial Institutions and the Housing Agency regarding the operation and progress on the private (AHB) mortgage to rent scheme. These discussions form part of an ongoing process of engagement with relevant stakeholders to remove any obstacles that may arise in the implementation of the scheme in any part of the country.