Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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203. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his Department will approve the purchase of a house with tenants in-situ in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40871/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Mortgage to Rent (MTR) Scheme was introduced in 2012 and is administered by the Housing Agency on behalf of my Department. The MTR Scheme offers households in acute, unsustainable mortgage arrears situations, with little or no prospect of a significant change in circumstances, the chance to surrender a property to a lender and in turn become a social housing tenant whilst staying in their own home and community.

In order to qualify for the scheme, both the property and household must meet certain eligibility criteria. Further information regarding eligibility can be accessed through the following link:

My Department encourages any borrower in mortgage arrears, if they have not already done so, to engage with the Abhaile scheme. The Abhaile scheme is available to borrowers in mortgage arrears and provides a range of services free of charge to borrowers including access to independent expert financial advice, legal advice and insolvency advice. A dedicated adviser will work the borrower and their lender to find the best solution for their situation. Abhaile is operated by the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) who can be reached by telephoning 0761 07 2000 (9am - 8pm, Monday - Friday) or by contacting their local MABS office.

For those who are renting and are at risk of homelessness, the Social Housing Tenant-in-situ scheme may be available. For 2023 and 2024, the Government agreed that there would be increased provision for social housing acquisitions and my Department provided funding for Local Authorities to acquire 1,500 social homes. The additional acquisitions have primarily focused on properties where a tenant is in receipt of social housing supports and has received a Notice of Termination due to the landlord’s intention to sell the property. My Department issued a circular letter in March 2024, setting out details of these arrangements and each Local Authority was provided with a provisional allocation for social housing acquisitions in 2024.

It is a matter for individual Local Authorities to identify suitable acquisitions in line with local circumstances and their social housing allocations policy. Local Authorities take appropriate steps to ensure that their first response will be to support households to try to prevent homelessness in cases where tenants have been served with a Notice of Termination by their landlord. It is important to acknowledge that the Tenant In-Situ scheme has been a key measure in preventing homelessness and as such has mitigated such impacts for many households.

The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who are not in receipt of social housing supports but who are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. The Local Authority conducts the initial assessment for eligibility of the tenant for this scheme and refers potential cases to the Housing Agency, which is responsible for administering and managing the scheme on behalf of my Department.

The primary tenant eligibility condition for accessing Cost Rental housing also applies for eligibility for the CRTiS scheme, which is a maximum net annual household income (less income tax, PRSI, USC and superannuation contributions) of €66,000 for Dublin and €59,000 in the rest of Ireland. Further details regarding this scheme can be found at the following link: .

Tenants at risk of homelessness should continue to engage directly with the Housing Department in their Local Authority area who can advise them in relation to their immediate and long-term accommodation options.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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204. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to indicate that all houses accruing the local authorities or approved housing bodies are completed to a standard equal to that of all other housing in the same estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40889/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Housing for All is the Government’s plan to increase the supply of housing to an average of 33,000 per year over the next decade. This includes the delivery of 90,000 social homes, 36,000 affordable purchase homes and 18,000 cost rental homes. Housing for All is supported by an investment package of over €4bn per annum, through an overall combination of €12bn in direct Exchequer funding, €3.5bn in funding through the Land Development Agency and €5bn funding through the Housing Finance Agency.

The Building Regulations came into force on 1 June 1992 and set out the legal requirements for the construction of new buildings (including houses), extensions to existing buildings as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings. As and from that date, all works to which the Building Regulations relate which are carried out, must be carried out in in accordance with the Building Regulations. The aim of the Regulations is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings.

Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires private developers to ensure that a specified percentage of land zoned for residential and other uses is reserved for social and affordable housing. Local authorities negotiate Part V agreements with the developer in line with a range of guidelines and supports aimed at assisting them in maximising the benefits of Part V in the context of its housing needs. Local authorities have a range of options available when negotiating with developers including the transfer of land, the building and transfer of houses, the transfer of houses off-site, granting of a lease of houses, or a combination of these. Subject to the legislative provisions, local authorities are free to decide how the 20% Part V contribution is broken down in terms of social and affordable housing (with a minimum 10% social housing) and by dwelling type. This is done in line with the local authorities housing need as identified in its Housing Strategy made as part of its Development Plan.

Part V arrangements are a matter for the relevant local authority operating within the Guidelines.