The Local Authority Home Loan has been expanded with a suite of major improvements.

Prices of homes eligible for a Local Authority Home Loan have been increased nationwide as have the income limits of those eligible to apply for a loan.

These changes have taken effect from Wednesday 01 March 2023.

Since February 2018 over 3,300 people have got on the property ladder through the Local Authority Home Loan and its predecessor the Rebuilding Ireland Home Loan.

Announcing the improvements, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said: "From today the improvements to the Local Authority Home Loan take effect meaning more people, across all our Local Authorities, will be eligible for a State backed mortgage. Supporting home ownership is a key objective for this government and the increase in house price limits, coupled with the increase in income limits, will result in more people buying their own home.

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"Importantly, building on improvements made this time last year, we have again increased the income limit for single applicants so that those earning up to €70,000 can now avail of the State-backed mortgage.

"These changes reflect the reality of today's housing market. We will continue to keep the Local Authority Home Loan under review to ensure it remains a vital and relevant support for people who want to own their own home.”

The following changes have taken effect:

Increases to house price limits for all local authorities areas:

• Increase from €320,000 to €360,000 – Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, South Dublin, Dublin City, Fingal, Wicklow, Kildare

• Increase from €320,00 to €330,000 – Galway City, Cork City, Louth, Meath, Galway County, Cork County

• Increase from €250,000 to €300,000 – Limerick, Waterford, Clare, Wexford, Westmeath, Kilkenny

• Increase from €250,000 to €275,000 – Offaly, Laois, Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal, Tipperary, Kerry, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim, Longford, Carlow.

Increased income limits for all applicants in each local authority area:

• Increase from €50,000 and €65,000 to €70,000 for all single applicants nationwide

• Increase from €75,000 to €85,000 for all joint applicants nationwide.