Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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616. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the appeals process in place when a person applies for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan and meets the criteria regarding financial income but the original planning permission is outside the criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4333/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The 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; 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.

The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is only available for financing a Principal Private Residence (PPR) subject to the following criteria:

- For the purpose of purchasing a new, second-hand or self-build property.

- That the gross internal floor area of the property does not exceed 175 square metres.

- The property complies with planning and building regulations.

- The property is located in the Republic of Ireland.

As with the previous local authority house purchase loan offerings, the properties that may be purchased with a Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan must have a gross internal floor area of 175 square metres or less which is equivalent to 1,884 square feet. This property size limit more than adequately provides, in terms of property size, for the range of accommodation needs of first time buyers.