Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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47. To ask the Minister for Finance if there are plans for separated persons who have agreed to relinquish their ownership of a family home on foot of a court order to be treated as a first-time buyer for the help-to-buy initiative announced in the last budget (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10824/17]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The tax treatment referred to by the Deputy, regarding an exemption from Stamp Duty for certain first-time buyers ceased to apply to instruments executed on or after 8 December 2010.

The legislation that introduced the Help to Buy incentive in Finance Act 2016, now contained in Section 477C of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, defines a first-time purchaser as "an individual who ... has not, either individually or jointly with any other person, previously purchased or previously built, directly or indirectly, on his or her own behalf a dwelling".  This definition is in line with that which underpins the Central Bank's macro-prudential mortgage rules.

Those who previously purchased homes are not eligible for the Help to Buy scheme. Such individuals may have already received the assistance of the State in relation to their original home purchase through grants or through mortgage interest relief. I have no plans to introduce the amendment suggested by the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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48. To ask the Minister for Finance if assistance under the help-to-buy scheme will be afforded to a person (details supplied) who moved into their new property just a couple of weeks before the scheme was initiated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10815/17]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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The commencement date for the Help to Buy scheme of 19 July 2016 was chosen as it was the date of the launch of 'Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness', in which the development of such a scheme for inclusion in the Budget was initially announced. The intention to backdate the scheme to this date was announced at that time with a view to avoiding any potential interruption in house sales, by purchasers who may otherwise have deferred purchases, pending the commencement of the incentive.

I have no plans to backdate the scheme prior to 19 July, as to extend eligibility for the scheme further back than the date of its initial announcement would consist entirely of deadweight. One of the primary policy aims of the incentive is to assist those struggling to save for the deposit required in purchasing a house.  Individuals who purchased new homes before the announcement of the incentive, did not need the assistance of the State to fund the required deposit. Such individuals made their purchasing decisions on the basis of the information available to them at the time of purchase, and could not have expected a subsequently introduced tax relief to also be available to them. Similarly, those who commenced the drawdown of agreed mortgages in respect of self built properties before 19th of July, could also not have expected a subsequently introduced tax relief to be available to them.

As with all time bound reliefs, there will always be those who just miss out on qualification. I do not intend to extend the parameters of this new measure any further as it would become less targeted and more costly.