Charlie McConalogue has said it is a ‘disgrace’ that the Minister for Housing and the Government have failed to produce a report on the review of the Tenant’s Purchase Scheme, over two years after they confirmed the review was complete.
Deputy McConalogue made his comments after the latest Dáil response he received from the Minister for Housing in which the Minister stated the report would be published “shortly”.
He said: “This consistent response from the Minister is a disgrace and is an insult to those who are hopeful that the review might bring about some changes to the scheme to allow them to buy out their home.
“The Tenant Purchase Scheme was reintroduced by the Government in 2016 and gives local authority tenant’s the opportunity to buy their home from the council.
“However, on its reintroduction, it was quickly found that a number of people were barred from entering the scheme due to its rigid criteria.
“In the majority of cases, they were refused due to the fact their only source of income was social welfare,” he added.
“However, often the applicants were old age pensioners who very much want to own the house they have made their home.
They were barred from the scheme despite the fact they had amassed lifelong savings to support the purchase of their home or indeed, had demonstrated that they had the support of family members to help assist them with the purchase.
“The Minister is failing to grasp how many people are anxiously waiting on the publication of this report. By all accounts, judging from the Parliamentary Question responses I have received, this report is ready for publication but is instead gathering dust on the Minister’s desk.
“The Minister must publish this report immediately and afford local authority tenant’s in these situations the opportunity to make their home their own.”