Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Houses not already in the pipeline will not be built in 12 months. Therefore, the argument does not stack up. That is one of the big problems with the scheme in the first place. Obtaining planning permission for development takes a number of years, more than likely two years on average. The Minister has announced a scheme that will last for three years, but the reality is that it will have little impact on new builds because by the time developers who turn around today and state they agree with the Minister that there will be more demand and that, therefore, more houses should be built obtain planning permission and finance and begin construction the tax rebate period will have exppired. My view is that while the Minister has inserted a three year end date, the scheme will not end in three years. That is the reality. What is the last tax rebate scheme that ended when it was supposed to end?