John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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446. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of take-ups of the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14538/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Following a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering, known as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, was introduced on 1 February 2018.

As with the previous local authority home loan offerings, the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan is a local authority product and loan applications are made directly to the local authority in whose area the property proposed for purchase is situated. My Department does not collect information on the number of enquiries to local authorities regarding the loan, the number of complete loan applications received by local authorities, or the reasons as to why a loan application may be declined.

As is currently the case, my Department will continue to publish information on the overall number and value of (1) local authority loan approvals and (2) local authority loan drawdowns on its website at the following link - . This information is currently updated to end Q3 2017; Q4 data will be published shortly.

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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447. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the way in which the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme will deliver affordable homes to buy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14541/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, following a review of the two existing local authority home loan schemes, the House Purchase Loan and the Home Choice Loan, a new loan offering, known as the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan, was introduced on 1 February 2018.

The new loan is designed to enable credit-worthy first-time buyers to access sustainable mortgage lending to purchase new or second-hand properties in a suitable price range. The scheme is targeted at first-time buyers who have access to an adequate deposit and have the capacity to repay a mortgage, but who are unable to access a mortgage sufficient for them to purchase their first home.

Other aspects of the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessnessaddress the delivery of more affordable homes. This is a major priority for Government, focusing in particular on the cities of Dublin, Galway and Cork, where people are facing the greatest affordability challenge. Increased delivery of homes at more affordable prices will involve local authorities developing their own residential land bank, comprising some 1,700 hectares, to its full potential.

I am providing Exchequer funding of €25 million, over 2018 and 2019, as a key contribution towards the delivery of more affordable housing. I expect that in the region of 3,000 new affordable homes can be made available through a range of schemes and initiatives, with the long-term ambition for some 10,000 additional affordable homes to be provided for sale or rent, as the initiatives are rolled out.