Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

237. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is monitoring the price of starter homes in Dublin city; if he is satisfied that the ceiling of house prices for local authority loans at €320,000 is providing purchasers qualifying for this loan with a sufficient range of homes to purchase particularly in the coming year when the new sources of affordable homes are still in the planning phase. [12386/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Housing For All strategy will deliver 36,000 Affordable Purchase homes and 18,000 Cost Rental homes up to 2030. These homes will be delivered through Local Authorities, Approved Housing Bodies, the Land Development Agency and the First Home shared equity scheme (a strategic partnership between the State and participating mortgage lenders).

The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government backed mortgage for those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022. The loan can be used both for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build. It is the successor to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.

It is available for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants and can also be used for the purchase of homes through State schemes such as the Tenant Purchase Scheme and Affordable Housing Schemes, with the exception of the First Home Scheme. 

The Scheme supports home ownership amongst lower to moderate income households by reducing the cost of mortgage finance and increasing the level of financing available, particularly for single applicants in urban areas.

The maximum market values of the property that can be purchased or self-built are:

- €320,000 in the counties of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow, and

- €250,000 in the rest of the country.

This limits the amount that can be borrowed to no more than €288,000 in the counties Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow and no more than €225,000 in the rest of the country.

I have noted rising house prices, including in the Dublin City area. While there are no plans at present to change these house price limits, this situation will be kept under review.

Further information on the scheme is available on the dedicated websites

localauthorityhomeloan.ie/ and .

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

238. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to review the income threshold guidelines in relation to social housing given that persons working in any type of a job will not qualify for social housing under the current thresholds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12404/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Housing for All – A New Housing Plan for Ireland was published in September 2021 and, as part of a broad suite of social housing reforms, committed to reviewing income eligibility for social housing.

The review, which examined inter alia the efficiency of the current banding model and income limits applicable to local authorities, was completed in Q4 2021. I am currently considering its findings and expect to decide on proposed changes and recommendations shortly.