Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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594. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current situation in relation to the purchase of local authority houses by tenants; if he plans to review this situation; if he will consider a tenant purchase scheme for approved housing bodies tenants whose operators were amenable to the provision of such a sale and in circumstances in which income accruing would be ringfenced for further housing provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2650/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme 2016 is open to eligible tenants of local authority houses that are available for sale under the scheme. The scheme is governed by the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) Regulations 2015, as amended.

The scheme was reviewed in 2023, with changes taking effect from 29 January 2024 following the introduction of the Housing (Sale of Local Authority Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. Amongst the changes was a reduction in the minimum reckonable income required in order to qualify to purchase a house under the Scheme, to €11,000 per annum. In addition, in the case of joint applications, only one tenant must now be in receipt of social housing supports for at least 10 years to qualify for the scheme.

More specific information in respect of the Scheme may be obtained on my Department’s website: www.gov.ie/en/service/12558-incremental-tenant-purchase-scheme-for-existing-local-authority-houses/

The scheme only provides for the purchase of local authority houses owned by the relevant local authorities and does not extend to houses owned by Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs). My Department monitors schemes such as the Tenant Purchase Scheme on an ongoing basis to ensure that they remain effective and sustainable. However, there are no plans to further review the scheme at this time nor are there plans to extend the scheme to tenants residing in houses owned by AHBs.