Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

House prices are very high, and too high for many young people. That said, since 2020, notwithstanding Covid, about 148,000 new houses have been delivered in this country. The percentage of first-time buyers has been steadily increasing from about 25% of all purchases in 2015 to just under 40% in July 2025, and the latest data indicate further increases. First-time buyers continue to make the largest contribution to the mortgage market, accounting for 63% of approvals. Notwithstanding high prices - and they are too high, in my view - first-time buyers are getting opportunities to buy. About 119,000 first-time buyer mortgages were drawn down from 2020 to the first quarter of 2025. We need more supply – that is the key. The national development plan outlines the enormous Government expenditure that will ensue in the coming years. The budget will be supportive of housing but we need more private sector investment in housing as well.

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