Séamus McGrath
Ceist:212. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to undertake a fundamental review of the Local Authority Home Loan to make it more widely accessible. [37497/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 19 May 2026
Ceisteanna (212)
Freagraí scríofa
The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for creditworthy applicants who cannot get sufficient funding from commercial lenders to purchase or build a home. The loan has been available nationwide from local authorities since 4 January 2022 for first-time buyers and fresh start applicants. The Local Authority Home Loan is a successor loan to the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan. The loan can be used for both the purchase of new and second-hand properties, or to self-build.
The operation of the Local Authority Home Loan is under constant review to ensure that it remains sufficiently accessible. As part of this process, both the Programme for Government 2025 and Delivering Homes: Building Communities committed to reviewing house price and income thresholds of the Local Authority Home Loan to ensure that it remains an accessible route to home ownership in the current housing market. My Department has completed a review of house price and income thresholds and I considered its recommendations. In February 2026, I announced that property price limits and the single income limit would increase for all local authority areas, making more homes and more people eligible for the Local Authority Home Loan. These changes came into effect on 1 April 2026 and will ensure that the Local Authority Home Loan remains an effective support for people who are ready to buy a home but face challenges accessing finance from commercial lenders. My Department will monitor the effect of these changes on the uptake of the loan and will consider if they have had a positive impact on accessibility or if other measures would be beneficial.