Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

The cost of building a new house is somewhere around €400,000 for a young couple or whomever. One third of the actual building cost comprises VAT, other taxes and levies. Will the Government consider doing anything about that?

Would it be possible to increase the first-time buyers grant if people were incentivised to build smaller houses, like we used to do in the 1970s and 1980s. I refer to any house under 1,350 sq. ft in area built at that time. I am not saying that we should base the bar around there, but maybe somewhere in between. People are building houses that range from 2,500 sq. ft. up to 3,000 sq. ft. Every square foot costs somewhere between €250 and €300. This is increasing the cost of houses. People are burying themselves in debt. The Government should incentivise them to build smaller houses by giving them another grant in addition to the first-time buyers grant. I ask the Government to consider doing so.

See this speech in context