Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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38. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of applicants to the help-to-buy scheme who were required to pay the payment back to the Revenue Commissioners as they did not live in the property for at least five years after buying or building it, in each of the years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. [24521/25]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Help to Buy (HTB) incentive is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they require to buy or build a new house or apartment. The incentive gives a refund of Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax paid in Ireland over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation. Section 477C of the Taxes Consolidation Act outlines the definitions and conditions that apply to the HTB scheme.

A qualifying residence must be occupied for a minimum period of five years by the first-time buyer as his or her only or main residence. Where this condition is not met the HTB payment has to be repaid to Revenue. Where more than one first-time buyer is a party to the claim for HTB, no clawback will apply where at least one of the purchasers continues to occupy the residence for the minimum period of five years. Where occupation ceases within the five-year period, the HTB claimant(s) is required to notify Revenue accordingly. The HTB payment will also have to be repaid to Revenue if, in the case of a self-build, the property is not completed within two years of receiving the HTB payment or where it transpires that the claimant was not entitled to claim a HTB payment.

I am advised by Revenue that 36,139 HTB claims were processed in the last five years, 934 claimants did not meet the relevant criteria and either had the claim clawed back or voluntarily cancelled their claim and returned the payment in the same period as follows:

Further information in relation the conditions and operation of the Help to Buy Scheme are contained in Revenue’s Tax and Duty Manual Part 15-01-46, which can be accessed on Revenue’s website, at www.revenue.ie/en/tax-professionals/tdm/income-tax-capital-gains-tax-corporation-tax/part-15/15-01-46.pdf.