Leitrim has lowest figures for Help to Buy scheme
Those building on previously developed land may not be eligble
Leitrim had the lowest number of Help to Buy scheme claims approved since 2020, in the region, new data revealed by the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, in response to a parliamentary question, has shown.
Over 570 claims of the Help to Buy scheme have been approved in the Shannonside region since 2020, the data revealed.
Speaking to the Leitrim Observer, Cllr Brendan Barry said that there are concerns that if an individual is building on a ‘grey belt’ (previously developed land), there may be an issue with successfully applying for the scheme.
Cllr Barry continued that he has met people who have benefitted from the scheme.
He said: "A person who is self building is eligible for the scheme which is a help but we don't have that many new houses for sale or being built in Leitrim. For self builds, it would be good but many people in Leitrim may be given a site where there was an old house that they might want to either completely demolish or do it up and mightn't be eligible and people are encouraged to build on grey belt land in Leitrim."
The Help to Buy incentive is a scheme to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit they need to buy or build a new house or apartment. The Finance Minister issued the figures which broke down the number of claimants, claims approved, and claim amount of the scheme in the past five years.
Meanwhile Roscommon holds the highest number of claims approved in the region at 343 while Longford had 125 claims approved.
€13.4 million was the total value of approved Help to Buy claims in the Shannonside region.
Nationally, there were just over 39,600 claims between the 1st of January 2020 to the 23rd of May, at a total value of €995.8 million.