4. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures he will be taking to support first-time buyers under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030; if he will be reviewing the terms and qualifying criteria of existing schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66122/25]

Sentiment score: 0.14

I ask the Minister to outline the key measures he will be undertaking to support first-time buyers under the delivering homes, delivering communities plan. In particular, does the Minister intend to review the terms and qualifying criteria of existing schemes and will he make a statement on the matter? I hope he appreciates -I know he does - that many first-time buyers find themselves falling outside the criteria at present. This certainly needs to be reviewed so I welcome his answer.

Sentiment score: 0.46

I appreciate the Minister's answer and the measures in the housing plan that will be there to support first-time buyers, in particular the 15,000 starter homes per annum, which will include affordable purchase, first home scheme properties, help to buy and the vacant refurbishment grant. They are all very welcome. The point I really want to drive home - I know the Minister is aware of this and is looking at it - is that the qualifying criteria at the moment mean that many first-time buyers are falling outside of them. Under the help-to-buy scheme, which I appreciate is a Department of Finance scheme, the price ceiling for a property is €500,000. In many areas of the country now, first-time buyers find themselves not able to secure a new property for €500,000, so the help-to-buy scheme is no longer available to them. Equally, the price ceiling in relation to the first home scheme is actually less. In Cork, for example, in Cork city it is €475,000 and in Cork county it is €450,000. Again, many first-time buyers find themselves outside this. It needs to be looked at, and I would appreciate if the Minister could look at this as a matter of urgency.

Sentiment score: 0.19

I appreciate this is a complex matter, and I know the last thing the Government wants to do is have schemes in place that will only lead to further price inflation. That is obviously a huge concern, and the Minister has to balance those concerns. For me, the reality is, as I said, that many first-time buyers are no longer able to avail of these schemes simply because of those qualifying criteria, particularly around the house value and the ceiling that is in place in relation to affordable purchase. I know this is on the Minister's radar. That needs to be reviewed as well in terms of the income qualification criteria. It is quite complicated and it needs to be simplified. Again, I know he is aware of that. The overall starter home package in the new plan is very welcome, but we have to refine some of the schemes to ensure they allow the vast majority of first-time buyers to qualify because that is, I know, the intention of the Government.

Sentiment score: 0.23