Ahern defends abolition of first-time buyers' grant
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has vowed to press ahead with plans to abolish the first-time buyers' grant, saying the scheme is no longer economically viable.
Mr Ahern said the grant was introduced 25 years ago to encourage the building of new homes, but a new series of incentives are now in place to promote house building and ownership, thereby eliminating the need for the first-time buyers' grant.
The Labour Party has tabled a Dail motion calling on the Government to reverse the abolition of the grant, which many young people need in order to get their foot on the property ladder.
