Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 164 together.

The First Home Scheme, launched on 7 July 2022, uses an equity share model to support first-time buyers nationally in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market. Further information is available on the Scheme website at:www.firsthomescheme.ie.

The Scheme is overseen and managed by the First Home Scheme Ireland Designated Activity Company (First Home DAC), on behalf of scheme founders (the State and participating mortgage lenders). This body is responsible for collating and issuing statistical information as it pertains to the scheme. In a press release covering activity up to 31 December 2022, First Home DAC confirmed that applications had been received from 23 counties, with 750 applications approved and 335 contracts issued. Of these approvals, Kildare had 27%, Dublin 26%, Cork (City and County) 15%, Meath 8%, Wicklow 7%, and 17% for other counties. The Scheme confirmed that the average price of supported purchases was €370,000, and that an average of €71,000 equity support was provided for these (19% of the average purchase price).

At its launch, it was announced by the First Home Scheme that a review of the regional price ceilings would be undertaken within 6 months. This review was conducted towards the end of 2022 on the basis of CSO data on the prices of new homes sold in recent months, as well as a study of the prices of new homes currently available on the market. The analysis also considered the recent inflation in construction costs.

On foot of this review, the First Home Scheme put in place revised price ceilings from 1 January 2023. These are available at:www.firsthomescheme.ie/about/property-price-ceilings/.At a press event confirming the new ceilings on 9 January 2023, it was announced by the Scheme that future reviews will be conducted on a six-monthly basis.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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165. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will permit Donegal County Council to deliver housing under the affordable housing scheme. [6111/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Affordable Housing Fund is available to assist all local authorities in bringing forward affordable housing schemes. Following the publication of Housing for All in September 2021, I asked local authorities to prepare Housing Delivery Action Plans. Each local authority was asked to assess the level of housing demand with affordability constraint projected for their area based on the Housing Need and Demand Assessment Tool and plan their provision accordingly. A copy of Donegal County Council’s Housing Delivery Action Plan is available on its website.

Local authorities with the highest levels of affordable housing need were asked to prepare Affordable Delivery Plans as part of their overall Plans and were set five-year Affordable Delivery Targets. Donegal does not have a specific target as average house price levels in the county are still well below the national median, but there may be some localised affordability issues in certain areas which the local authority is examining.

Where there are localised challenges, funding can be made available to develop a scheme in line with Affordable Housing Fund criteria. While, to date, my Department has not received any application for funding under the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) from Donegal, my Department is available to meet with and discuss plans with any local authority who intends to deliver affordable housing. Assistance with developing schemes is available from my Department, the Housing Agency and the Housing Delivery Co-ordination Office within the Local Government Management Association.

In addition, the First Home Scheme, which was launched in July 2022, supports first-time buyers in purchasing new houses and apartments in the private market through the use of an equity share model. The Scheme aims to support in the region of 8,000 households in acquiring new homes in the private market in the years 2022 to 2026 with an overall budget of €400 million. The scheme is available nationwide, including Co. Donegal. Full information on the scheme is available on the First Home Scheme dedicated website, www.firsthomescheme.ie.

Finally, the new Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund is also available in Donegal and it provides for grants for refurbishment of vacant properties of up to €30,000 or €50,000 if the property is derelict. I also announced last year, a new Ready to Build serviced sites scheme under the Fund where local authorities will provide sites at a discount to people who want to build their own home. Information on both of these scheme is available directly from Donegal County Council.