House price increases are likely

The Irish residential property market continues to dominate public and political discourse. 

Recently, a lot of attention has focused on issues such as the help-to-buy scheme, the altering of the Central Bank mortgage regulations, rent control and homelessness.

In Budget 2017, the Government outlined a scheme that will provide first-time buyers with a rebate of income tax paid over the previous four years of up to 5% of the purchase price of a new home, up to a maximum value of €400,000.