The help-to-buy scheme has played a “valuable role”, the Minister for Finance has said, although he wouldn’t be drawn on whether the scheme will continue past the Budget 2020 in October. Speaking on Tuesday, Paschal Donohoe said that any continuation of the scheme, like any other taxation measure, will be decided in the context of the budget for next year. The Help-to-buy scheme, first introduced in April 2014, was designed to incentivise first time buyers to get on the property ladder by helping them with the deposit needed. However, the scheme was introduced at a time when property prices were slowly recovering from their post-boom trough, a fact Mr Donohoe acknowledged. And while Mr Donohoe wouldn’t be drawn on whether it will continue in operation, both he and Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy said they have been discussing the matter already.

Source: The Irish Times July 16, 2019 16:41 UTC