Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----were occupied. An important point is that they were second-hand homes, not new.

It is also worth pointing out that, in respect of the stamp duty paid, there was a rebate of about €1.6 million to the entities that paid it because of the end use of the properties concerned. Some were used for social housing in the context of the refund provisions provided for at the time of the legislative change. That is an important point to bear in mind. It is our understanding that at least one organisation subject to the 10% rate of stamp duty had acquired properties to house international protection applicants and had paid the 10% stamp duty rate. International protection was the end use in the context of those particular transactions.

I make these points by way of additional context. I am aware that the Deputy and his party have raised this issue several times in recent weeks. The transactions in question represent a very small proportion of the overall market or overall number of transactions or new builds over the period in question. Of course, they sit alongside the planning change, which will become increasingly relevant because an increasing number of developments built will have obtained planning permission under the new regime where the associated owner-occupancy conditions will have been relevant. Those points are important in the overall context of this issue. As is always the case, we keep taxation matters under review.