RTE Radio 1 Interview with CEO of First Home Scheme
Written by: Stephen Barry
On Today with David McCullagh on RTÉ Radio 1 (February 23, 2026), Michael Broderick, CEO of the First Home Scheme, discussed the scheme’s role in the current housing market. The initiative, extended to 2027 with extra funding, provides up to 30% equity for new home purchases.
Key Details from the Discussion & Scheme:
Purpose: The scheme aids first-time buyers and certain other individuals (e.g., divorced, bankrupt) by taking an equity stake in the property, reducing the necessary mortgage.
Extension: The Government has extended the First Home Scheme to 2027 with an additional €30 million in funding.
Usage: Almost 5,000 homes have been purchased using the scheme since 2022, with 769 in the final quarter of 2025.
Limitations: The scheme is not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, though consumer protection laws still apply.
Support: It is often combined with the Help to Buy scheme, reducing the maximum equity support to 20%.
You can listen back to the interview on https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22586762/
