Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Applications for social housing support are assessed by the relevant local authority, in accordance with the eligibility and need criteria set down in section 20 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, as amended, and the associated Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011.

A household shall be ineligible for social housing support if that household has alternative accommodation it could reasonably be expected to use to meet its housing need. However, where an applicant for social housing support owns accommodation occupied by a spouse, from whom they are formally separated or divorced, a deed of separation is sufficient to set aside this ineligibility ground. It is not necessary to await judicial separation or divorce to get a decision on social housing support in these cases.

Local authorities may provide households with social housing support under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme until ownership of the family home is resolved in a formal separation or divorce settlement.

Support in these circumstances will be reviewed by the local authority at prescribed intervals. The household will not be able to transfer to other forms of social housing support while ownership of the family home remains to be determined. If the household ultimately qualifies for the full range of social housing supports, the length of time it was supported under RAS or HAP will be reckonable for the purposes of determining the household’s relative priority for a transfer should they so wish to do so.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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96. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the provisions of the incremental purchase scheme 2010 remain in force; how many homes have been made available for sale under this scheme in 2022, 2022 and 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51373/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme for Newly Built Houses 2010 is underpinned by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 and the Housing (Incremental Purchase) Regulations 2010. I can confirm that the regulations underpinning this scheme remain active. The scheme applies to the purchase of newly built local authority houses only. The scheme is one of a number of purchase options intended to meet the needs of those requiring long-term housing support and supports existing low-income tenants in making a start on the route to home ownership.

Statistical information on the number of houses sold under the Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme for Newly Built Houses from 2015 until the end of 2022 may be found on my Department’s website, and can be located at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/. Information for sales to date during 2023 is not yet available.

Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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97. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the guidance which has been provided to local authorities in request of acquisition cost guidelines in the cost-rental tenant-in-situ scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51382/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I refer to the reply to Question No. 673 of 7 November 2023 which sets out the position in this matter.