Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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306. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if an amended application form and guidelines in respect of the tenant purchase scheme are currently available following a review of the scheme; if not, when these forms will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6101/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme was reviewed in 2021 in line with Programme for Government and Housing for All commitments.

The amendments, which came into effect on 1st February 2022, include a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required to be eligible under the scheme from €15,000 to €12,500. This means older tenants, whose only income might be the contributory or non-contributory State pension, are now eligible to buy their homes if they have the financial means to do so.

The time an applicant is required to be in receipt of social housing supports to be able to apply under the scheme has also been revised. This has been increased from one to ten years.

While local authorities have already been formally advised of these changes, the Department also intends to issue revised guidelines shortly.

The template application form issued by my Department to all local authorities in 2016 has not been affected by recent changes and it can continue to be used to facilitate applications under the scheme. That said, local authorities may need to amend explanatory or supporting material accompanying the application form to reflect these changes. While this is generally a matter for local authorities, my Department will advise them to do so when issuing the revised guidelines.