John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, confirm in his response whether the Finance Bill has already been published? A great amount of detail about it was given on "Morning Ireland" earlier, with reference in particular to changes to the housing tax relief scheme. I have been waiting three and a half days for an opportunity to speak in this House on the budget measures only to discover that the Bill to effect their implementation may already have been published. It would be the height of disrespect to Members to have measures finalised before the debate on them concludes. I notice, too, that if the Central Bank makes a recommendation, it will generally be taken on board, but not a blind bit of notice is taken of recommendations from Members.

Regarding the tax relief for first-time buyers, I am concerned that the provision whereby eligibility reverts back to the first mortgage drawdown will impact negatively on people who build their own homes. In other words, first-time buyers who are about to move into their self-build home having drawn down the last tranche of their mortgage will not qualify. That is unfair. The last drawdown should be the defining criterion according to which a first-time buyer qualifies or does not qualify for the scheme. As it stands, the provision reverts back to July of this year. I hope that will be changed so that anybody who has a last drawdown after July will qualify. In the case of self-builds, it is only when the last mortgage drawdown is complete that people can move into their home. I will be pushing for that change and have already spoken to my party's finance spokesman, Deputy Michael McGrath, about it.

I welcome the modest increases in welfare payments provided for in the budget. However, there is a real sense that the disability sector has been let down by budget 2017. It should be a priority in future budgets that the sector receives special treatment. We have a Minister of State with a specific interest in disabilities and I hope that is reflected in future provision. The measures to assist the sector are welcome but underwhelming.

My colleague mentioned funding for roads, which is under the remit of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross. Together with several colleagues, I recently brought forward a Topical Issue matter requesting that funding for local improvement schemes be recommenced in 2017. The Minister stated clearly in his reply that this would be done. I hope that promise will be adhered to because it is very important for those of us living in rural areas.

In regard to the rent allowance, I have brought to the attention of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar, and the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Simon Coveney, that the increases in Kerry were in the region of 5% while the increases in other counties were upwards of 15% to 20%. I compared Kerry and Galway as being two very similar counties in terms of population, size, tourism and so on. The daft.iereport for the first quarter of 2016 gives the average rent in Kerry as €623, with a corresponding figure for Galway of €618. However, the rent allowance increases in Galway were substantially greater. When I checked last Friday on daft.ie, six properties were available in Tralee, a town facilitating 30,000 people, all of which were outside the rent allowance boundaries. Something must be done to address this problem. Will the Minister of State instruct his officials to ring the relevant social welfare officers in Kerry to ask how they are dealing with the rent allowance crisis there? People cannot find a suitable qualifying property and the situation is getting worse week after week. Nobody seems to be listening to us.

I hope somebody in Government will take on board the points I have raised today. I hope, too, that the legislation is not already published, because that would mean my proposals have no chance of being taken on board.

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