Written answers

Thursday, 30 September 2021

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Housing Schemes

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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185. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will re-examine the amount available to applicants under the housing adaption grants given the increase in building materials in order that the amounts awarded better reflect the costs of such works for older people and persons with a disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47287/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Funding of €75 million is available nationally in 2021 for the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme. This funding has increased year on year since 2014. As part of the annual budgetary process, consideration will be given to this funding in future years in line with the Programme for Government commitments and the Policy Statement on Housing Options for Our Ageing Population, which is available on my Department's website at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/ea33c1-housing-options-for-our-ageing-population-policy-statement/

As detailed in Housing for All, housing policy objectives 6 and 7 give a commitment to undertaking a review of the range of housing grants available to assist with meeting specific housing needs both for our ageing population and people with a disability. Officials from my Department will begin a review of the existing grant limits and income thresholds applicable to the grant schemes later this year.

Photo of Claire KerraneClaire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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186. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a person cannot receive funding under the housing adaption grant twice in a four year period; if there is a four-year rule in which a person has to wait to apply for the grant for a second time as detailed in correspondence from a local authority (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47288/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing Circular 41 of 2019, issued 20 December 2019, provided local authorities with revised guidelines for the operation of the Housing Adaptation Grant for Older People and People with a Disability scheme, in respect of private houses. This circular also included a revised single application form for use by all local authorities.

These guidelines clearly state that there is no legal bar to the payment of a second grant where an applicant’s circumstances have changed significantly, additional qualifying works under the grant schemes are necessary and the applicant remains eligible for grant assistance under the relevant schemes qualifying conditions . No limit applies to the amount of grant funding an applicant can receive in their lifetime nor the minimum time limits between grant applications.

Local authorities, in administering the scheme, should always work with qualifying applicants to ensure they get the most beneficial outcome possible in line with their circumstances. Engagement with local authorities is on-going and my Department is currently undertaking workshops with local authorities to ensure the Scheme is being administered optimally.

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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187. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the details of the cut-off point in terms of household income for eligibility for the new cost-rental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47312/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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On 19 August 2021, I made the Affordable Housing Act 2021 (Cost Rental Designation) Regulations 2021, which came into effect that day. These Regulations govern the process by which the owners of dwellings may obtain the designation of their properties as Cost Rental dwellings. 

The first Cost Rental homes were delivered by the Approved Housing Body (AHB) Clúid at Taylor Hill, Balbriggan, in August 2021, utilising funding from the Cost Rental Equity Loan (CREL) scheme. The eligibility criteria for prospective tenants was agreed with my Department on an administrative basis, given the priority placed on seeing this homes occupied as soon as was possible. For Taylor Hill, in order to be eligible, net household income was required to be lower than €53,000 per annum.  Prioritisation thereafter was informed by identifying household need and size relative to the homes being made available.

It is my intention to make Regulations governing the eligibility conditions that will be applicable to Cost Rental over the longer term, including the household income limits, by November 2021.

Photo of Róisín ShortallRóisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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188. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the details of the cut-off point in terms of household income for eligibility for the proposed new affordable purchase scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47313/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government, Our Shared Future, sets out the objective that everybody should have access to sustainable, good quality housing to purchase or rent at an affordable price, built to a high standard, and located close to essential services, offering a high quality of life.

Housing for All confirms the introduction of two new affordable purchase scheme.  The first will see the delivery of affordable homes by local authorities.  The second will see the introduction of a 'First Home' affordable purchase shared equity scheme for homes in private developments.  Both of these schemes are primarily focused on supporting first-time buyers purchasing newly-built homes. In terms of eligibility, they will be targeted at households constrained by the maximum mortgage and deposit available to them. The schemes will bridge the gap between the market value and what the household can afford via the provision of equity support. The equity support can subsequently be redeemed at any time at the home-owner’s discretion, or remain outstanding until the home is sold or passed on.

The detailed design of the First Home is currently progressing, for the scheme’s introduction in early 2022. Eligibility will be informed by the Central Bank’s macro-prudential rules along with designated price ceilings established by area for the scheme. Price ceilings for eligible homes and the maximum level of support available will be confirmed in advance of the scheme’s operation.

It is intended that Regulations regarding income eligibility in respect of the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme will be put in place by November.

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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189. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department will be reviewing the €320,000 maximum market values of the property that can be purchased or self-built in counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, and the €250,000 maximum in the rest of the country, given that housing prices have increased by almost 7% in the past year; if so, when this review will be taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47323/21]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is targeted at first time buyers who wish to own their own home, 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 loan enables credit worthy first time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties or to self-build, to borrow up to 90% of the maximum market values, €320,000 in the counties of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow and €250,000 in the rest of the country. 

As part of Housing for All, I announced that a reformed successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme, the 'Local Authority Home Loan', will be prepared later in 2021.  The Local Authority Home Loan will include an increase in the income ceiling for single applicants in counties Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, to reflect the higher market prices in these areas, thus increasing the number of people eligible and increasing the borrowing capacity of applicants in these areas within the €320,000 house price limit.

I have already implemented a reduction of the mortgage interest rate for new borrowers by 0.25% under the existing Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan (RIHL), as from 10 September 2021 which will lower monthly repayments and increase borrowing capacity. This lower rate will also apply to loans issued under the forthcoming Local Authority Home Loan.  

The link to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan Scheme and FAQ's is: rebuildingirelandhomeloan.ie/

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