Revealed: Locals Can’t Buy "Affordable" Homes As Prices Outpace Local Authority Loan Limits In Kildare

Wednesday, 21 May 2025 12:34

By Martin Osborne

Under the Local Authority Home Loan scheme - a cornerstone of Ireland’s affordable housing strategy - eligible buyers in Kildare are capped at purchasing homes worth no more than €360,000.

Outpriced by policy.

That’s the reality facing prospective homeowners in Kildare, where newly released “affordable” homes are now too expensive to qualify for the government-backed loans designed to help people buy them.

Under the Local Authority Home Loan scheme - a cornerstone of Ireland’s affordable housing strategy - eligible buyers in Kildare are capped at purchasing homes worth no more than €360,000.

Yet the latest batch of affordable homes released by Kildare County Council includes some homes that have hit the market at €370,000, pricing them just beyond the reach of the scheme’s limits.

The latest batch of homes are being sold on Rathasker Road in Naas.

The prices have resulted in first-time buyers who rely on the scheme effectively being locked out of properties officially labelled as affordable.

That's according to Kildare North TD Joe Neville.

Launched in 2022, the Local Authority Home Loan was created for creditworthy applicants who cannot secure adequate mortgages from commercial banks.

It can be used for new and second-hand properties, or to self-build.

Kfm understands that a review of the scheme is underway by the Department of Housing.

Officials are reassessing income thresholds and property price limits, with a focus on ensuring that the loan remains “accessible and relevant” and in line with market values.

The review is not expected to be completed until the end of the second quarter of this year.