Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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105. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to improve the criteria pertaining to the tenant purchase scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10816/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme came into operation on 1 January 2016. The Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme.

The Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015 governing the Scheme provides for a number of specified classes of houses to be excluded from sale, including houses provided to Local Authorities under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, houses specifically designed for older persons, group Traveller housing and houses provided to facilitate people with disabilities transferring from institutional care to community-based living.

The provisions of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, are designed to enable the development of mixed tenure, sustainable communities. Part V housing units are among the classes of house excluded from the tenant purchase scheme, and this is to ensure that units delivered under this mechanism will remain available for people in need of social housing support, and that the original policy goals of the legislation are not eroded over time.

In line with the commitment given in Rebuilding Ireland- Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, a review of the first 12 months of operation of the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is being conducted by my Department. To facilitate this review a public consultation process on the terms of operation of the scheme was undertaken by my Department during January and February of this year. Any changes to the terms and conditions of the scheme that are considered necessary based on the evidence gathered as part of the overall review process will be brought forward. I expect the review to be completed on schedule by the end of Quarter 1 2017.