Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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284. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans for local authority mortgages for house extensions in situations in which it would cater for overcrowding or in which it would satisfy housing needs for those on the housing waiting list; the measures under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17468/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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There are currently two local authority house purchase loan offerings available to lower income first-time buyers from local authorities. Both loan offerings, the standard annuity mortgage and the Home Choice Loan, are directed at first-time buyers unable to secure adequate loan finance from a bank or building society and who wish to purchase a new or second hand property or build their own home. To ensure effective targeting of limited resources, local authority loan finance continues to be available to first-time buyers only for the purpose of purchasing or building a home.

My Department does, however, fund a range of housing supports for persons with a disability, living in both privately-owned housing and local authority housing. The Disabled Person Grant Scheme provides funds to local authorities to undertake adaptations and extensions to homes to meet the needs of local authority tenants with a disability, or to address serious overcrowding. The Housing Adaptation Grant Scheme for Older People and People with a Disability is also delivered by local authorities with funding from my Department. It assists other people and people with a disability in private houses to have necessary adaptations, repairs or improvement works carried out in order to make their accommodation more suitable for their needs. There are no restrictions on the type of disability covered by the schemes and the administration of the available funding is a matter for the local authorities based on their assessment of priority and need at the time. 

I continue to keep all local authority mortgage lending under review.