Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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1529. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the assistance available to people who are not on a social housing list when they are given notice to quit their rental property and are unable to find an alternative place to rent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42156/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society including those in the rental sector who receive a Notice of Termination. The Government supports people in that position through as number of different Schemes detailed below.

The First Home Scheme, which launched in July 2022, is a shared equity scheme designed to help bridge the gap between a purchaser’s deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home, for eligible first-time buyers, Fresh Start applicants and those who wish to build their first home.

The Scheme was expanded on 17 April 2023 to include the Tenant Home Purchase Product. The Tenant Home Purchase product (THP) is designed to help eligible tenants who have received a valid Notice of Termination (NoT) from their landlord and are looking to purchase the home they are currently renting as the landlord is putting the property on the market.

More information on the Tenant Home Purchase product is available on the First Home Scheme website, www.firsthomescheme.ie.

The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for first-time buyers and certain other eligible applicants who have been refused a mortgage through a regular mortgage lender. The scheme is for the purchase of new or second-hand residential properties and for self-buildsunder specified regional price ceilings.The Local Authority Home Loan allows Tenants who have received a Notice of Termination for their current rental property to purchase either their current rental property or another property, as their principal private residence. The Local Authority Home Loan requires that applicant must have a deposit equivalent to 10% of the value of the property to be purchased. However, applicant(s) availing of the Tenant Purchase Scheme are exempt from this requirement for a 10% deposit.The Local Authority Home Loan has put in place an expedited application process for Tenants who have received a Notice of Termination for their current rental property and are looking to purchase either their current rental property or another property, as their principal private residence. Applicants should contact the local authority in the area where they are looking to purchase their home and complete the application form.

All other criteria for eligibility for the Local Authority Home Loan will apply to applicants availing of the Tenant Purchase scheme, which would include the demonstration of the applicants' creditworthiness. As part of the assessment process and to ensure prudent lending for both the borrower and the local authority, an applicant(s) repayment capacity andcreditworthiness is assessed, which would include evidence of their savings record.

Decisions on all housing loan applications must be made in accordance with the Regulations establishing the scheme and the credit policy that underpins the scheme, in order to ensure prudence and consistency in approaches in the best interests of both borrowers and lending local authority.

Details of the Local Authority Home Loan can be found on the dedicated website: localauthorityhomeloan.ie/

The Cost Rental Tenant In-Situ (CRTiS) scheme was introduced on 1 April 2023 for tenants in private rental homes who do not qualify for social housing supports and are at risk of homelessness because a landlord has served a valid Notice of Termination due to an intention to sell the property. 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.

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 on a temporary administrative basis, pending further policy development over the longer term. Further details on this scheme can be found at the following link: www.housingagency.ie/crtis