Shay Brennan (Dublin Rathdown, Fianna Fail)

The Minister will probably appreciate that most of the questions he is asked between now and October will be to seek his plans for the upcoming budget. Could he provide an update in the meantime on the overall awareness and uptake of the rent tax credit since its launch? My understanding is that the Department of Finance estimates that around 400,000 renters are eligible to claim this relief. In its initial year, some 250,000 to 270,000 taxpayer units made a claim for the credit. By early 2024, claims across the first two years, 2022 and 2023, exceeded 320,000 taxpayer units, with, I believe, almost €120 million paid out in respect of the year 2022 alone. Given the substantial increase in the value of the credit since then, has there been a commensurate rise in uptake rates and awareness among renters? What measures are being taken to ensure that all those eligible are availing of the support, particularly as the rental market remains under strain?

See this speech in context