Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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1187. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a person who is resident here on a stamp 4 visa, is married to an Irish citizen and has been resident in the State for three years is eligible to apply with their partner for a Rebuilding Ireland home loan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45268/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) enables credit-worthy first-time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties or self-build in a suitable price range. As with the previous local authority loan offerings, the RIHL is available to first-time buyers only, to ensure the effective targeting of limited resources.

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 statutory credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure consistency of treatment for all applicants.  Under that policy, applicants must either be citizens of an EU or EEA country, or have a legal right to remain in the State on a long-term basis.

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.