Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 173: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of first time home buyers in County Clare who have had one or more parents putting their names to mortgage documents and as a result have found themselves liable for stamp duty for each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22989/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that they are unable to provide the statistical information requested. The Revenue Commissioners issued a re-assurance last Friday concerning first time buyers of secondhand houses in which they confirmed that a child, who is a first time buyer, will not be precluded from claiming first time buyer relief where a parent acts as a co-mortgagor in the following circumstances: the transfer of the house is taken in the name of the child; it is the intention of both the child and the parent that the parent is not to take a beneficial interest in the house; the parent has been joined into the mortgage solely at the request of the lending institution for the purpose of providing additional security for the moneys being advanced for the purchase; it is not intended that the parent will be contributing to the repayment of the mortgage in the normal course.

I am also advised by the Revenue Commissioners that if stamp duty has been paid in circumstances where the above conditions are satisfied, a repayment of stamp duty will be made on application to the Revenue Commissioners.