I propose to take Questions Nos. 467 and 582 together.
The Tenant (Incremental) Purchase Scheme is open to eligible tenants, including joint tenants, of local authority houses that are available for sale under the Scheme.
Section 30 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides that the Minister may set out a minimum income required to purchase under the scheme. The minimum income requirement has a dual purpose - it ensures the scheme is sustainable and the tenant purchasing the house has the financial means to maintain and insure the property for the duration of the charged period. For these reasons, certain social welfare payments, including Carer’s Allowance, are not considered when determining an applicant's reckonable income.
In line with commitments in Housing for All, A New Housing Plan for Ireland, I recently introduced changes to the Tenant Purchase Scheme. These included inter alia revising the minimum income criteria for applicants downwards from €15,000 to €12,500, thereby allowing older tenants in particular (whose only income might be the contributory or non-contributory State pension) to buy their homes if they have the means.