Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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119. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will examine the inclusion of housing association/body properties in the tenant purchase scheme (details supplied). [24251/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Schemes provide for the purchase, by eligible tenants, of local authority properties which are available for sale under the terms of the particular scheme. All applications must satisfy the requirements outlined in the relevant legislation. However, the schemes only provide for the purchase of local authority properties, and do not extend to properties owned by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs).

Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) are independent, not-for-profit organisations which provide affordable rented housing for people who cannot afford to pay private sector rents or buy their own homes, or for particular groups, such as older people or homeless people.

My Department monitors schemes on an ongoing basis to ensure that they remain effective and sustainable. However, consideration cannot be given to extending the schemes to tenants residing in properties owned by AHBs, as it is a matter of general policy that AHB homes developed for social housing purposes are retained as such.