Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 150: To ask the Minister for Finance in the context of the Finance Bill 2012, if he intends under section 9 to provide the additional mortgage interest relief to a first time buyer whose mortgage was sanctioned in 2008 but not drawn down until 2009. [10707/12]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The position is as I stated in my Budget day speech, that the Government has now fulfilled its commitment contained in the Programme for Government to increase the rate of mortgage interest relief to 30 per cent for first-time buyers who took out their first mortgage in the period 2004 to 2008. I have sought to be as flexible as possible within the constraints pertaining. Under the current tax legislation mortgage interest relief is granted from the date the first mortgage interest payment is made. The legislation is being amended for this particular measure to also include mortgage draw-down as a qualifying event for the rate increase. This means that a mortgage holder will qualify for the increased rate if they made their first mortgage interest payment in the period 2004 to 2008 or if they drew down their mortgage in that period. Therefore, an individual who drew down their mortgage in December 2008 but made their first mortgage interest repayment in 2009 will qualify for the increased relief. However, I do not intend to include mortgage sanctioned as a qualifying event for the purpose of the additional relief.