Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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1370. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the case of a person (details supplied) will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36278/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions.  Section 6 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 specifically provides that the Minister's power to issue policy directions and guidelines to housing authorities in relation to their housing functions should not be construed as enabling the Minister to exercise any power or control in relation to any individual case with which a housing authority is or may be concerned.  Therefore, I am precluded from intervening in relation to individual cases.

Appeals for the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan are not dealt with by my Department. A decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and its credit committee to decide on a case-by-case basis.  Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants.  Under the policy, each local authority must establish an appeal mechanism for cases where applicants are not satisfied with the decision regarding their application.  All appeals must be sent into the local authority that applicants applied to.  Details of the appeals process can be obtained from the relevant local authority.  The person concerned should therefore contact the local authority to which the loan application was made for an update in relation to the appeal.

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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1371. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the length of time applications for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan are taking to be processed by each county council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36280/18]

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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1372. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the way in which decisions are made in respect of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan. [36281/18]

Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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1373. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the appeal process in respect of decisions from the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36285/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1371 to 1373, inclusive, together.

The new Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is designed to enable credit-worthy first-time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. The scheme is targeted at first-time buyers who have access to an adequate deposit and have the capacity to repay a mortgage, but who are unable to access a mortgage sufficient for them to purchase their first home.

The Housing Agency assesses applications for loans on behalf of the local authorities. However, the final decision on loan approval is a matter for each local authority and its Credit Committee on a case-by-case basis.  Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the statutory credit policy issued under the Regulations and have regard to the recommendations of the Housing Agency in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants.

Loan applicants who are dissatisfied with a loan application decision of a local authority Credit Committee may appeal that decision to the local authority. Details of the appeals process can be obtained from the relevant local authority.

I requested the Housing Agency to compile monthly statistical reports on the numbers of applications that it receives centrally from local authorities. These include the average length of time taken by the Agency to assess applications before returning them to the relevant local authority, which as of the end of August stands at 10 calendar days. Each local authority must undertake additional administration and processing of each application, including meeting with the applicant and allowing the Credit Committee to make their final decision, and the time taken for this additional work can vary across each local authority.