John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that we have statements later but not everyone will get the opportunity to contribution and, therefore, I want to acknowledge the budget that has been announced by the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Deputy Michael McGrath. It is one of the most expansionary budgets of recent times. It is, of course, about putting money back in people's pockets but it is also about supporting all cohorts through universal measures and the most vulnerable through targeted measures.

In my brief of housing, I want to mention a few of the measures. Renters were referenced by Senator Keogan. It is important to say that the tax relief of €500 is per person and can be claimed for this year as well as next year. That results in a couple getting a tax credit in quarter 1 of 2023 of €2,000, that is, €500 for 2022 and €500 for 2023, which, for a couple, will amount to €2,000. That is substantial and will go a long way towards achieving that slogan the Opposition likes to bandy about of putting one month’s rent back in people's pockets. What the Opposition do not say is that they are actually going to take €30,000 with the opposite hand because they want to abolish the help-to-buy scheme, which the Government has rightly chosen to extend for another two years. That is all about supporting young people in getting their foot on the ladder. When that is combined with the first home shared equity scheme and the local authority affordable purchase scheme, the Government is about supporting those who want to buy and those who want to continue to rent.

It is also appropriate that we have introduced a vacant homes tax. We have done so at a point when many measures are in place to support bringing vacant homes back into productive use, such as the repair and lease, and buy and renew schemes, the living city initiative and Croí Conaithe. Now, if somebody chooses not to bring a property back into use, they will rightly be penalised through a vacant homes tax. We want to bring those units back into productive use for renters or purchasers.