Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In respect of first-time buyers, we have to look at things fairly. This Government is giving unprecedented support to first-time buyers. The help-to-buy scheme has assisted 35,000 first-time buyers, at €30,000 per qualifying property. The new first homes shared equity scheme will provide further supports to first-time buyers. In the past 12 months, more first-time buyers bought their first home than in any year since 2008. This Government is doing an unprecedented amount to support first-time buyers and that will continue. First-time buyers accounted for 26% of all properties purchased in 2021. The Croí Cónaithe towns fund, which is there for first-time buyers, provides a €30,000 grant and that can be increased by an extra €20,000 for particular houses. Then there is the local authority affordable purchase scheme, which is also there for first-time buyers, and the local authority home loan scheme.

On the remediation scheme, the Government is committed to and has signed off on this scheme in respect of €2.7 billion for mica, €230 million for pyrite and anything from €1.5 billion to €2.5 billion for apartments. That is €4.5 billion to €6 billion in costs for remediation. There has to be a revenue stream to at least contribute to that extraordinary expenditure.

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