Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I will answer it. According to what I have read in the document, this will lead to no additional houses. The Minister of State briefly mentioned the review of tax schemes for the encouragement of purchasing houses. During this process, I ask him to tell the Minister for Finance of a problem that may arise. It is the concept wherein, when buying an affordable house that will come on-stream in a tax scheme, people have slipped through the net in the past and abused the system. I am concerned that when an affordable house becomes available under a tax renewal scheme, it may lead to people claiming tax relief on it. I hope I have explained myself well. Someone may get an affordable house that would qualify under a tax scheme, be it a town renewal scheme or so forth, but have funding from elsewhere or purchase another property and use the house for tax relief purposes. I can give the Minister of State a note about this later.

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