Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 167: To ask the Minister for Finance the action he proposes to take to address the fact that the average house price in Dublin now exceeds the €315,000 stamp duty threshold set in budget 2005; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30338/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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All owner-occupiers are generally exempt from stamp duty on new houses where the property is 125 sq m or less. As the Deputy will be aware, the 2005 budget introduced a stamp duty relieving measure for first-time house purchasers who are owner-occupiers of second-hand houses by increasing the stamp duty exemption threshold for such purchasers from €190,500 to €317,500 and by having reduced rates for house values up to €635,000. In addition, mortgage interest relief, MIR, is available at source in respect of interest paid on moneys borrowed for the purchase, maintenance, repair or improvement of that taxpayer's main residence, including second-hand houses.

As the Deputy will appreciate, it is the usual practice not to comment on any possible changes in taxation in the weeks prior to the annual budget.