1951. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has examined the accessibility and uptake of the first home scheme among single income first-time buyers; whether consideration is being given to changes which could further assist single applicants facing affordability constraints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63590/26]

The Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society. Government's housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities, contains a suite of actions that have and continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens.

The First Home Scheme is designed to help bridge the gap between a purchaser’s deposit and mortgage, and the price of their new home. The Open Market Value of the home must fall within price ceilings established across each Local Authority nationwide. Applicant eligibility is not dependent upon income or household size/composition. The eligibility checks for this scheme are property-specific and work from someone’s purchasing capacity - from a mortgage, savings, and any Help to Buy incentive, making the scheme accessible to a broad cohort of applicants. This is reflected in the First Home Scheme Q2 2026 report published in July. The report notes that from launch to 30 June 2026, of the 5,883 homes purchased with the support of the scheme, 2,360 (40%) were purchased by single applicants.

To note, in March 2024, KPMG prepared a report examining the impact of the First Home Scheme. One of the findings of the report was how it has positively influenced the accessibility of homeownership and housing supply, particularly benefiting single-person households, younger households, and older households that may have difficulty obtaining a sufficient mortgage to purchase new builds on the open market. An updated report was prepared in March 2025 and came to the same conclusion.

My Department will continue to liaise with all delivery partners to further the development of the affordable housing programme and to ensure that each scheme responds effectively to all affordable housing needs identified.