Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme provides for the purchase by eligible tenants of local authority houses which are available for sale under the scheme. All applications for the Scheme must satisfy the requirements outlined in the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the associated Regulations.

In order to be eligible, applicants must meet certain criteria, including minimum primary reckonable income of €11,000. In determining a tenant’s minimum annual reckonable income, local authorities can include incomes from employment, private pensions, the State pension, Widow's, Widower's, Surviving Civil Partner's Pension, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, and certain social protection payments, where the social protection payment is secondary to income from employment or a pension/allowance. However, other social protection payments including Carer's Allowance, which are considered shorter term in nature, are not considered when determining an applicant's annual reckonable income.

The minimum annual reckonable income requirement has a dual purpose. It ensures the scheme is sustainable and the tenant purchasing the house has the financial means to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period, which may be 20, 25 or 30 years.

Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that, subject to law, a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions. The operation of and any decisions made in respect of the scheme are, therefore, entirely a matter for the relevant local authority and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the eligibility or otherwise of an individual application.