Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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574. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he plans to report on the findings of the review of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme and the proposed changes from the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26236/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Following a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering, known as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL), was introduced on 1 February 2018.

Following the initial roll-out of the scheme, in April I met with the Chief Executives of the two main agencies involved in the implementation of the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, the Housing Agency and the Housing Finance Agency, and I requested that they address a number of issues to improve the operation of the scheme.

On foot of this engagement, some minor clarifying amendments have been made to the application form, while a number of additional FAQs have been added to the dedicated Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan website in order to further clarify issues for potential applicants. The on-line calculator on this website has also been amended in order to take the cost of mortgage protection insurance into account. This will therefore give potential applicants a clearer indication of the amount that they could be eligible to borrow under the scheme.

My Department will continue to clarify issues that arise around the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, as necessary, as is the case with any other scheme. I have not asked for a formal review of the scheme at this stage, nor do I believe that one is necessary, given the positive response to it to date. This is evident from the almost 1,500 loan applications submitted by local authorities to the Housing Agency, for assessment, as of the end of May.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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575. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 1046 of 20 March 2018, if a separated person who is remaining in the family home can potentially qualify for a loan under the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme to refinance their mortgage to give effect to the removal of their former spouse from the mortgage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26258/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Further to my reply to Question No. 1046 of 20 March 2018, which sets out the limited circumstances that would apply where a separated or divorced person who is not a first-time buyer could qualify to apply for a Rebuilding Ireland home loan (RIHL), the circumstances of the individual outlined in the Deputy’s question would not appear to meet the criteria to apply for a loan under this scheme.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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576. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of applications to date under the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme; the number and value of approvals to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26259/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Housing Agency provides a central support service for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme by assessing valid loan applications that are made to the local authorities and make recommendations to the authorities as to whether loans should be offered to applicants. I have asked the Agency to centrally compile figures of the numbers of applications that it has assessed.

The most recent figures, as at the end of May, indicate that the Agency has received a total of 1,499 applications for assessment from local authorities, 1,150 of which were deemed to be valid. Of these valid applications, 876 have been assessed and 52% of the valid applications that have been assessed by the Agency have been recommended for approval.

The average loan amount for applications recommended for approval was €189,133.

It is subsequently a matter for the relevant local authority credit committee to ultimately determine whether a loan application is approved, having regard to the Agency's recommendation.