Affordable housing scheme to be abolished

THE Government will today announce the abolition of the affordable housing scheme and the transfer of the rent supplement scheme to local authorities as part of its housing policy.

Housing Minister Willie Penrose will tell the Housing Practitioners’ conference in Mullingar that he hopes to announce soon the first social housing project from stock bought from developers by NAMA.

The Housing Policy Statement said the Government is finalising proposals for the introduction of a residential property tax, which it said was part of the EU/IMF bailout deal.