Sir, - In the bad old days when the building industry was on its knees, the first-time buyers' grant was introduced to assist an ailing market, and to encourage prospective purchasers to buy a newly-built home. As far as I am aware, this grant of £3,000 is still available only to first time buyers of new properties, and not to first time buyers of second-hand houses. Why? - Yours, etc.,
Vivienne Flanagan, Butterfield Avenue, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.