Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is at odds with his party leader and Fianna Fáil colleagues as he is set to resist tax breaks for property developers, writes Brian Mahon.

At the start of the year, Mr Martin proposed the Government would look at introducing tax breaks for developers in a bid to deliver more homes.

On Monday, Tánaiste Simon Harris confirmed he was open to proposals for tax cuts for property developers, saying: “The Government has to look at every possible lever that can be pulled.”

“If we make another decision in the weeks ahead, then that has to be it. And those who are in the business of building homes and apartments need to get on with it at that stage.

“They need to know that that is it.”

He added: “These things will all be teased through at the budget, but I don’t rule anything out.”

However, Mr Donohoe reiterated his opposition to tax cuts, saying: “The Tánaiste and myself are really clear on the importance of building more homes...

“There are always, and have always been, supports in place to allow those more homes to be built.

“But both of us are very much aware of the risks and dangers in the past with regard to this, and our view on that has not changed.”

Mr Donohoe’s comments reaffirm his previous position that he fears overheating the property market, which could lead to another crash.

In February, he said: “What I am not going to do is reintroduce or propose the very tax reliefs that did such harm to our economy.”

Senior Government sources said that “the sands are shifting” on tax breaks for developers.