Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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454. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he is taking to assist persons over 65 years in long-term rental accommodation who are seeking to purchase their own homes. [13235/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Increasing home ownership is a priority for Government. To this end, Housing for All commits to delivering at least 300,000 homes by 2030, including an average of 4,000 affordable purchase homes annually.

Government has committed a record €4.5 billion in funding to increase housing supply across all tenures this year. This includes unprecedented investment in affordable housing, with some €1.3 billion will be available to support the delivery of affordable housing.

Significant progress is already being made in this regard. This includes -

- the Local Authority Home Loan which is available nationwide since the start of the year and assists those on modest or low incomes who cannot get sufficient finance from commercial banks to purchase or build a home,

- the First Home and extended Help-to-Buy schemes which will assist first time buyers to purchase their first home, and

- local authority affordable purchase homes which will be available at a reduced price, with the Local authority taking an equity stake equivalent to the reduction from the prevailing market price for the property.

The resulting increase supply over the coming years from these and other measures will assist all households who aspire to purchase their own home, including those in private rented accommodation, to do so.