Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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419. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider reviewing the government criteria for the local authority affordable housing schemes, which stipulates that just 30% of new homes in such schemes are ring-fenced for local applicants, with a view to substantially increasing this figure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5530/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme (LAAPS) was introduced under the Affordable Housing Act 2021. It assists first-time buyers purchasing Local Authority-delivered new homes. This scheme uses an equity share model to give eligible purchasers the opportunity of home ownership at a significant discount.

For the Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme, each local authority will have a Scheme of Priority for the allocation of homes. The Affordable Housing Act 2021 allows for the Scheme of Priority to include matters such as priority be given to applicants based upon date and time of application and priority given to eligible applicants in relation to a particular dwelling, or class of dwelling, having regard to the size or composition of the eligible applicant’s household.

The Affordable Housing (No. 2) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 21/2023) sets out the regulations underpinning the Scheme of Priority and how it allocates homes to qualifying applicants. Within the Scheme of Priority, 70% of the allocation of affordable homes is applied on a date and time basis, while also providing for a local authority to take into account dwelling size and household composition.

The remaining 30% allocation may be allocated in accordance with the same criteria, but allows for some local authority discretion, for example applicants may have been resident in the local authority area for a certain period. Schemes of Priority may differ. A local authority may choose not to apply local conditions and, for example, can choose to apply the time and date/dwelling size and household composition criteria to 100% of the homes to be sold.

It should also be noted that the 30% discretionary provision does not preclude a local applicant from being allocated an affordable home under the provisions taken into account in relation to 70% of the homes to be sold.