Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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65. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to make the Rebuilding Ireland home loans more flexible such as increasing financial limits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33803/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan loan enables credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. 

Single applicants for the loan must not be earning greater than €50,000 gross per annum.  The combined income of joint applicants must not be greater than €75,000 per annum.  There are no set minimum income limits; however, applicants do need to have sufficient borrowing and repayment capacity and must be capable of repaying the mortgage in accordance with the statutory credit policy underpinning the loan.  These income limits are unchanged from the previous local authority loan offerings.

The new Programme for Government ”Our Shared Future" contains a commitment to expand the Rebuilding Home Loan. My Department is examining this issue at the moment and consulting other government Departments as appropriate. Any improvements to the loan will be made in the context of the Housing for All Strategy which is in preparation at the moment.