Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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446. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a scheme to assist those persons working but earning a low income to secure housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13550/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The current income limits for social housing support mean that individuals in different areas can earn up to €25,000, €30,000 or €35,000 after tax and qualify for social housing supports, including the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Families can earn more than this and still be eligible for support. I am satisfied that the current income eligibility limits provide a fair and equitable system of identifying those households unable to provide accommodation from their own resources and ensure that the available resources are directed towards those most in need of social housing support. However, a review of the income eligibility limits for social housing supports, as part of the broader social housing reform agenda set out in the Social Housing Strategy 2020, is scheduled to commence later this year.

Apart from long-term social housing support, there are other supports available for households to secure appropriate housing. The Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2012, which set out the terms and conditions and key eligibility criteria for local authority mortgages, include maximum gross income limits but do not set minimum income limits. However, in assessing a loan application an applicant’s borrowing capacity and ability to repay the loan in question must to be taken into account. It is important to note that while 4 local authorities have been designated to operate the Home Choice Loan, the loan is available to all eligible applicants nationwide.

I have no plans at present to re-introduce an Affordable Housing Purchase Scheme. However, a range of measures are being taken under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness to increase housing supply overall, with the aim of creating a functioning and sustainable housing system which can meet housing demand at more affordable prices.

The plan is divided into five pillars, with each targeting a specific area of the housing system. Pillar 3, entitled Build More Home,has a key objective of increasing the output of private housing to meet demand at affordable prices, including by-

- Opening up land supply and State lands, including the Major Urban Housing Development Sites initiative, which identified large-scale sites in the main cities that are capable of delivering significant homes in the short to medium term to boost overall housing supply;

- €200 million Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund;

- National Treasury Management Agency financing of large-scale “on-site” infrastructure;

- Planning Reforms;

- Putting in place a National Planning Framework and land management actions;

- Efficient design and delivery methods to lower housing delivery costs;

- Measures to support construction innovation and skills.

Pillar 4 of the Plan, entitled Improve the Rental Sector, provided for the introduction of an affordable rental scheme to enhance the capacity of the private rented sector to provide quality and affordable accommodation for households currently paying a disproportionate amount of disposable income on rent. As set out in the recently published Strategy for the Rental Sector, this commitment is now being progressed through kick-starting supply in rent pressure zones.

Other measures taken to increase the supply of housing include -

- The enhanced supply of more affordable starter homes in key locations through a targeted rebate of development contributions in Dublin and Cork for housing supplied under certain price levels;

- New National Apartment Planning Guidelines, reducing the cost of apartment building;

- Changes to aspects of the operation of Strategic Development Zones to enable swifter adjustments to meet market requirements;

- A vacant sites levy.