The Help to Buy (HTB) incentive, is a tax-based scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. It also aims to encourage additional supply of new houses by supporting demand.
HTB provides a refund of Income Tax and Deposit Interest Retention Tax (DIRT) paid in Ireland over the previous four years, subject to limits outlined in the legislation.
The level of support available to first time buyers under the HTB scheme, is whichever is the lesser of:
• €30,000; or
• 10 per cent of the purchase price of the new property; or
• the amount of Income Tax and DIRT paid in the four years before application for the relief.
For a property to qualify for the HTB scheme, it must be new or converted for use as a dwelling, having not previously been used as a dwelling. Additionally, the purchase value/approved valuation of the property must not exceed €500,000.
Based on the latest available data (31 May 2026), the scheme has supported over 66,000 individuals or couples to buy or build their own home. The cost of the scheme to the Exchequer was in the order of €1.5 billion at that date. The total value of approved HTB claims in 2025 was in the order of €253 million.
The scheme operates by reference to the property rather than the number of claimants. As HTB is intended to support first time buyers with deposits, it is capped at a maximum 10 per cent of the purchase price of a property (subject to a ceiling of €30,000 of tax relief per property). The 10 per cent cap is consistent with the Central Bank's macro-prudential rules in respect of first time buyers.
The Programme for Government commits to "retain and revise" the HTB scheme. The scheme currently sunsets at the end of 2029. As with all such schemes, HTB is kept under review as part of the annual Budget and Finance Bill processes.
Finally, decisions regarding taxation measures are made in the context of the annual Budget and Finance Bill processes, at the appropriate time, having regard to the sound management of the public finances and the impact any proposed changes would have on the wider housing market. It is a long-standing practice of the Minister for Finance not to comment on matters which may form part of the forthcoming Budget and Finance Bill processes.
