Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. It is welcome that the help-to-buy scheme would be expanded because it is a good scheme. It would make sense to do that where properties have been vacant for, for example, two years. I also feel that an expansion of what worked under the home renovation incentive, HRI, scheme, that is, tax relief on the VAT on materials and labour, in respect of such properties for first-time buyers would be very welcome. A long number of years ago, I helped to draw up what became the repair and leasing scheme. I was not happy with the amount of investment from the State that went into that. We need to give people support because we have seen that where grants are available, people use them.

I feel first-time buyers should be given exemptions to VAT charges, as I have mentioned. They should also be exempt from reconnection fees. Such fees are expensive and we could look at that with the utility companies, whether we are talking about the reconnection of water or electricity. Can we look at giving a capital gains tax break to a person selling a property to a first-time buyer? That might get properties onto the market and give the first-time buyer a more competitive place in that market. Those things could help to free up properties and put more money in the pockets of the people who are trying to purchase them to do them up. Those people are trying to compete with investors right now and they cannot do that.

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