Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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158. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government how he is making more homebuyers eligible for local authority home loans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11597/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In line with the commitment in Housing for All, the expanded Local Authority Home Loan was launched in January 2022. It is a Government backed mortgage for those who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial banks to purchase or build a home. It is available to first-time buyers and "fresh start" applicants to purchase a new or second-hand property, or to self-build.

Supporting home ownership is a key objective for this Government and as part of achieving this I recently announced significant changes to the house price and income limits which apply in the Local Authority Home Loan, which will result in more people being eligible to apply.

The house price limits have been increased as follows:

Increase from €320,000 to €360,000 – Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, South Dublin, Dublin City, Fingal, Wicklow, Kildare Increase from €320,00 to €330,000 – Galway City, Cork City, Louth, Meath, Galway County, Cork County Increase from €250,000 to €300,000 – Limerick, Waterford, Clare, Wexford, Westmeath, Kilkenny Increase from €250,000 to €275,000 – Offaly, Laois, Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal, Tipperary, Kerry, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim, Longford, Carlow

The income limits have also increased for all applicants as follows:

Increase from €50,000 and €65,000 to €70,000 for all single applications nationwide Increase from €75,000 to €85,000 for all joint applications nationwide

These changes came into effect on 1 March 2023.

I will continue to keep the Local Authority Home Loan under review to ensure it remains a genuine and relevant support for people who want to own their own home.

Further information on the Local Authority Home Loan is available on its dedicated website localauthorityhomeloan.ie/