Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 30th December, 2011.

I, PHIL HOGAN, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 11 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992 (No. 18 of 1992) (as adapted by the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 ( S.I. No. 193 of 2011 )), and with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (pursuant to the Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 ( S.I. No. 418 of 2011 )), hereby make the following regulations:-

Citation and commencement.

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Housing (Local Authority Loans) (Amendment) Regulations 2011.

(2) These Regulations shall come into operation on 1 January 2012.

Amendment.

2. The Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2009 ( S.I. No. 145 of 2009 ) are amended by substituting for Regulation 3 the following:

"These regulations shall apply to the provision of loan finance by housing authorities to first time buyers for the acquisition of houses, or for the construction of new houses, including-

(a) the purchase of a house under section 90 of the Principal Act;

(b) the purchase of a dwelling under Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 (No. 22 of 2009);

(c) the purchase of an apartment under Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 ;

(d) the purchase of an affordable house within the meaning of Part 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2002 (No. 9 of 2002), or Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2010; and

(e) the grant of a shared ownership lease under section 2 of the Act."

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 ( S.I. No. 418 of 2011 ), consents to the making of the foregoing Regulations.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform,

21 December 2011.

BRENDAN HOWLIN,

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

21 December 2011.

PHIL HOGAN,

Minister for the Environment Community and Local Government.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations amend the Housing (Local Authority Loans) Regulations 2009 ( S.I. No. 145 of 2009 ) by substituting new text for Regulation 3, prescribing the classes of dwellings in respect of which local authority house purchase loans may be made. The amending regulations empower housing authorities to provide loans in respect of, among other things, apartments sold under the scheme for the tenant purchase of local authority apartments. The Regulations come into operation on January 2012.