Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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264. To ask the Minister for Finance when the help-to-buy scheme will be expanded to help private renters who are facing eviction to buy their home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22712/23]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Help to Buy (HTB) incentive is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. The incentive gives a refund on Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax paid in the State over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation. Section 477C Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 outlines the definitions and conditions that apply to the scheme.

HTB allows claimants to select all or any of the previous four tax years for the purposes of calculating the refund available to them. Enhancements to the scheme were provided for in Section 8 of the Financial Provisions (COVID-19) (No. 2) Act 2020 such that the maximum rebate is currently the lower of:

• €30,000 (increased in 2020 from €20,000);
• the total income tax and DIRT paid in the previous four years; or
• 10 per cent (increased in 2020 from 5 per cent) of the purchase price of a new build property, including self-builds.

Finally, and as the Deputy will appreciate, decisions regarding changes to taxation measures such as HTB, are usually made in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill processes. Such decisions must have regard to the sound management of the public finances and my Department's Tax Expenditure Guidelines.