Housing designed only for nuclear families does not meet “the reality of the world we live in”, says, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien.
Under new plans set to come into force from April, people who are divorced or separated will be eligible for state-backed loan schemes. As such, divorced people will get a second chance to be home owners after a relationship breakdown under measures designed to recognise how “Ireland has changed”.
It is believed that this is the first time Irish government housing policy has referenced divorced and separated people.
Divorced or separated people have not been explicitly included in housing schemes designed to help first-time buyers on to the housing ladder, although it is understood that discretion was used in some cases. Now the Government will include them as among those eligible under schemes such as the Local Authority-led Affordable Purchase Scheme or the First Home Shared Equity Scheme.
“The changes we made to the Local Authority Home Loan make it easier for single people to avail of a state-backed mortgage for a new, second-hand or self-build home – the fresh start principle applies here also. We realise that Ireland has changed over the last few decades and people’s housing needs have evolved and we’re addressing that.”
“Housing has traditionally been viewed through a nuclear-family type prism and that’s just not the reality of the world we live in,” commented Mr O’Brien.
LSL News.