Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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664. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if local authorities are taking applications under the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37122/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Local Authorities continue to accept applications under the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan scheme.  

When the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL) scheme was initially being developed, it was estimated that the drawdown of loans would be approximately €200 million over three years.  However, the RIHL proved to be more successful than initially anticipated. My officials began engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in October 2018 when higher lending and drawdown volumes were beginning to materialise. I informed the Dáil on 29 January 2019 of the scheme’s success and of the need for additional funding and indicated that my Department was in discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Finance with regard to the allocation for 2019.

Following positive engagement with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, my Department wrote to all 31 local authorities on 15 August 2019, sanctioning an additional €363 million in funding for the RIHL, bringing total funding to €563 million for 2018 and 2019 combined.