Waiving development levies until the end of 2024 and water levies until the end of September, along with an €40 million extension to the First Home Scheme, are critical steps to ensure more homes are built and made more affordable across Midlands-North West, a Fine Gael MEP has said.
MEP Maria Walsh said:
‘In ongoing efforts to ensure the construction of more homes and to make these homes more affordable to people across Midlands-North West, the waive on development levies has been extended until the end of 2024.
“In addition to this, the Uisce Éireann rebate has been extended until the end of September. These strategic decisions will decrease the burden on developers, encouraging them to undertake more projects across Midlands-North West. It’s crucial that we take measures like these to help increase the housing supply in our community.
“We know the initiatives put forward in housing are working, having seen tremendous success with the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, which has already approved 4,376 applications across the country. This popularity highlights the community’s eagerness to restore and utilise dormant properties across Midlands-North West, significantly boosting our housing supply.
“An additional €100 million funding following the National Development Plan (NDP) windfall review will facilitate the construction of over 1,000 new student beds at universities. These projects collectively accelerate our progress towards creating more accessible and affordable housing opportunities for students across the country.
‘Further to this, the First Home Scheme will be extended by an additional €80 million, a move that will greatly benefit first-time homebuyers across Midlands-North West. This is a clear indication of Fine Gael’s dedication to making home ownership more attainable for the families and young people across Midlands-North West and I look forward to even more new homes coming on stream this year, offering more options and opportunities for people here to own their own home.”
