Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

There are stamp duty exemptions for new homes and there is a staggered system for stamp duty on second-hand homes. The rent-a-room scheme, which allows an owner-occupier earn up to €7,620 per annum tax free, was introduced. There is a site subsidy for affordable housing. Those who received the first-time buyer's grant of €3,800 felt it was of great benefit, even if it involved using it for curtains and carpets. Almost as much is being spent nowadays on site subsidies for affordable homes.