O’Shea Welcomes Strong Uptake of Help to Buy Scheme Among Cork First-Time Buyers

 1,541 Cork households availed of Help to Buy in 2025 as Deputy O’Shea welcomes continued support for aspiring homeowners

Fine Gael TD for Cork North West, Deputy John Paul O’Shea, has welcomed the strong uptake of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme among first-time buyers in Cork, with more than 3,000 claims approved in the county over the past two years.

New figures provided to Deputy O’Shea show that 1,465 Help to Buy claims were approved for properties in County Cork in 2024, rising to 1,541 in 2025.

Nationally, 8,541 claims were approved in 2024, increasing to 9,575 in 2025.

Deputy O’Shea said the figures demonstrate the continued importance of Help to Buy in supporting young people and first-time buyers who are working hard to get onto the property ladder.

“Buying your first home is one of the biggest financial commitments a person or couple will ever make, and saving for a deposit can often be the greatest barrier for young people trying to achieve that goal.

“The Help to Buy scheme has made a real and tangible difference to thousands of people across Cork and throughout the country. More than 67,000 individuals or couples have now been supported nationally through the scheme.

“The figures for Cork are particularly encouraging, with 1,541 claims approved in 2025, an increase on the 1,465 approved the previous year.

“This is a very significant intervention for people who are trying to purchase or build a new home. The scheme can provide support of up to €30,000, subject to the relevant criteria, and can make a crucial difference when it comes to meeting the deposit required to purchase a home.

“I want to acknowledge the Government for introducing the Help to Buy scheme and, importantly, for extending and maintaining it so that it continues to support first-time buyers.

“While there is much more work to do to improve housing affordability and increase supply, schemes such as Help to Buy are giving young people and families a greater opportunity to realise the dream of owning their own home.

“I will continue to support measures that help people in Cork North-West and across the country to access affordable and sustainable home ownership.

“We need to keep building on the progress that has been made and ensure that young people who are working, saving and planning for their future have a genuine pathway to owning their own home.”

Additional Info:

• Help to Buy is a tax-based incentive designed to assist first-time purchasers with the deposit required to buy or build a new home.

• The scheme provides a refund of Income Tax and DIRT paid in Ireland over the previous four years, subject to the relevant limits.

• The maximum support available is the lesser of:

  • €30,000;

  • 10% of the purchase price of the new property; or

  • the amount of Income Tax and DIRT paid in the four years before application.

• The property must be a new or converted dwelling and must have a purchase value/approved valuation of no more than €500,000.

• As of 30 June 2026, the scheme had supported more than 67,000 individuals or couples nationally.

• County Cork: 1,465 approved claims in 2024 and 1,541 in 2025.

• Nationally: 8,541 approved claims in 2024 and 9,575 in 2025.