Minister ‘confident’ he can reverse downward trend in home ownershipBy Cillian Sherlock, PAThe Minister for Housing has said he is confident he can reverse the downward trend of homeownership seen since the census of 1991. The minister said measures like the Help To Buy grant and First Home scheme have supported more than 40,000 households in purchasing a property. He added: “Last year one-in-two new properties actually bought were bought by first time buyers. “We’ve seen over 10,000 first time buyers draw down for mortgages, actually in the first quarter of this year.”He said reversing the trend of homeownership is a priority for government. He added: “That is an absolute priority for us that people who are working hard to be able to buy their own home.

Source: Irish Independent May 31, 2023 17:18 UTC