Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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213. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government whether local authorities must vote at a full council meeting to allow the individual sales of affordable homes to progress. [20331/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The sale of homes under the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme are governed by the provisions of the Affordable Housing Act 2021, and its associated Regulations, S.I. No. 20/2023 - Affordable Housing Regulations 2023, and S.I. No. 21/2023 - Affordable Housing (No. 2) Regulations 2023.

Section 6 of the Act enables a housing authority to make dwellings available for the purpose of sale to eligible applicants under affordable dwelling purchase arrangements.

In addition, Section 11 of the 2021 Act outlines the provisions in relation to schemes of priority for affordable dwelling purchase arrangements. It requires a local authority to make a scheme determining the order of priority to be accorded to eligible applicants. The making of a scheme of priority or the amendment of such a scheme are reserved functions of the local authority. Once passed by the local authority, the allocation of all affordable homes for purchase comes under the terms of the agreed Scheme of Priority.