Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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766. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to consider a tenant purchase scheme for tenants of voluntary housing associations. [6038/16]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of these various funding schemes supporting the delivery of social housing by approved housing bodies (AHBs), AHBs are the de facto owners of the properties and are required to make them available for social renting for the duration of the mortgage or, as the case may be, the availability agreement.  My Department cannot unilaterally make provision for their sale to tenants. Any such decision would have to involve the AHB and have regard to the mortgage on the property. On expiry of the mortgage period and subject to compliance with the terms of the funding agreement, the AHB becomes the owner of the property.

Section 45 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 does provide for the sale by housing authorities and AHBs of designated new houses to eligible households, subject to specified terms and conditions. However, any such sales would have to be progressed by the AHBs. There are currently no proposals or plans for a tenant purchase scheme in relation to AHB houses.