Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to introduce a grant for first time buyers or for people building their first home, since the removal of the first time buyer grant; the help or grant aid he will give to people who are trying to get on property ladder for the first time. [21735/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The new house grant scheme was terminated in 2003 to concentrate housing programmes on areas of greatest impact and social need. It is not proposed to reintroduce the grant. However, through overall increases in supply, and increasing output under various affordable housing initiatives, the Government are seeking to improve access to home ownership for first time buyers. These targeted measures, in particular, assist low income purchasers. This is a better means of improving the affordability of house purchase and using available resources effectively, than a general first time buyer grant which would over time become absorbed into the house price. Other general measures are in place through the tax system to assist first time buyers, such as stamp duty concessions and mortgage interest relief. The Government will continue to prioritise effective action to maintain current high levels of supply in the housing market and in particular, will accelerate measures to assist those who cannot access affordable housing without assistance.