510 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of households receiving rent subsidies funded by his Department under shared ownership in each of the past five years; the value of the subsidy paid; the number in respect of the Dublin local authorities; the proportion of new shared ownership applicants who qualify for rent subsidy in the first year of their loan; and his estimate of this proportion in respect of the Dublin local authorities. [9569/02]

Under the shared ownership scheme administered by the local authorities, an annual rent subsidy ranging from €1,269 to €2,539 is available to eligible persons whose household income in the preceding tax year was €25,394 or less and where the subsidy would not reduce the rent payable below €1.27 per week. The full amount of rent subsidy allowed to applicants is recouped by my Department to local authorities on foot of claims received from them.

Details of the amounts recouped by my Department to local authorities and the number of households involved for the years 1997-2001 are set out in the following tables.

All Local Authorities