Cabinet agrees new measures to deal with housing crisis

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the Coalition's package of measures to deal with the housing crisis will include more social housing, expanding the tenant-in-situ scheme, more housing supply and tax changes.

Speaking in the Dáil, he said there will be a "tax package in the budget" for small landlords, which will take effect this year, to encourage them to stay in the market or enter the market.

The Taoiseach said the Coalition will extend the Croí Cónaithe refurbishment grant scheme for people who are "doing-up" derelict properties for the purpose of renting them and those built before 2007.

In addition, he said ministers also agreed that "if someone rents out a room in their house, it won't affect their social welfare entitlements or medical card entitlements". He said it was open to Local Authority tenancies as well.

He added the Cabinet agreed to allow Local Authorities to buy up to 1,500 homes where people are facing notice to quit. He contended: "That would be a solution to a lot of people."

Earlier, it was clarified that the package would include an expanded "tenant-in-situ" scheme which will mean for renters in receipt of State supports such as HAP, councils can purchase their home and make it available to them as social housing.

For those not in receipt of supports, but at risk of homelessness, their local housing body or council can purchase their home and rent it to them on a "cost rental" or not-for-profit basis.

For those tenants who are in a position to purchase their home, a third option will be available: They will be given first refusal on buying their home, and can apply for the State-backed shared equity scheme which will reduce the upfront cost of purchase by up to 30%.

Alternatively, they can apply for the Local Authority Home Loan, a subsidised mortgage targeted at low and middle-income households.

The Government says it is confident that it will have sufficient numbers to win a Dáil vote tomorrow on the eviction ban.

A debate on a Sinn Féin proposal to extend the moratorium took place in the Dáil tonight.

Earlier, the Taoiseach said the Cabinet had approved a package of measures to ease the crisis.

However, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed the Coalition was throwing renters to the wolves.