Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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261. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if consideration will be given to affording more flexibility to single parents in order to access the affordable housing shared equity scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5110/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government, ‘Our Shared Future’, commits to putting affordability at the heart of the housing system, and to progress a state-backed affordable home purchase scheme to promote home ownership.  As part of these commitments,  Budget 2021 allocated €75 million for the Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme.

On the 20th January last, I published the General Scheme of the Affordable Housing Bill 2020. This provides the legislative basis for a number of new affordable housing measures, one of which is the aforementioned Affordable Purchase Shared Equity Scheme. The Government approved the priority drafting of the Bill, and my Department is working closely with partners in Government to advance this legislation.

The scheme will be targeted at first time buyers of new build homes.  The more detailed design aspects of the scheme, including eligibility criteria, is currently ongoing, and will be informed by our continued engagement with all relevant stakeholders.