Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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69. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department has investigated expanding urban renewal and living over the shop initiatives, to encompass a tax break for first time purchasing owner-occupiers wishing to renovate unoccupied dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29261/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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79. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department investigated expanding urban renewal and living over the shop initiatives to encompass a tax break for first time purchasing owner-occupiers wishing to renovate unoccupied dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29453/16]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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83. To ask the Minister for Finance the measures and tax incentives his Department has implemented to date to encourage the renovation of existing homes; if he has considered further expanding these schemes to encourage first-time buyers to renovate currently unoccupied dwellings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29535/16]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 79 and 83 together.

The Home Renovation Incentive (HRI) provides for an income tax credit for homeowners or landlords who carry out repair, renovation or improvement work on their property. The aim of the Incentive is to support tax compliant building contractors by moving activity out of the shadow economy into the legitimate economy. The Incentive was introduced in October 2013. It provides for tax relief for homeowners or landlords by way of an income tax credit at 13.5% of qualifying expenditure.  Qualifying work must cost a minimum of €5,000 including VAT at 13.5% rate. The maximum qualifying cost for the purpose of the incentive is €30,000 including VAT at 13.5%. This equates to a maximum tax credit of €4,050. The tax credit is payable over the two years following the year in which the work is paid for.

The Living City Initiative is a scheme of property tax incentives designed to regenerate both historic buildings and other buildings in specified cities. The scheme applies to certain special regeneration areas (SRAs) in the centres of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Kilkenny. The relief applies to both residential and commercial refurbishment and conversion work that is carried out during the qualifying period. There are two types of tax relief available under the Living City Initiative - an owner-occupier residential element, and a retail/commercial element. The Deputy may be aware that there is a commitment in the programme for Government to review this initiative and the conditions that apply to the size of properties, with a view to boosting the attractiveness of the scheme, which will contribute to both built heritage and urban regeneration.

There is another tax relief available for expenditure incurred on the maintenance of significant buildings and gardens, which is provided for in Section 482 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. To qualify for this relief the relevant building must be determined by the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to be of significant scientific, historical, architectural or aesthetic interest. In addition, the Revenue Commissioners must be satisfied that reasonable access to the building is afforded to the public.

These reliefs provide support for the renovation of dwellings by both first time buyers and other owner-occupiers and they are reviewed regularly with any relevant changes usually announced on Budget day.