Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the changes with regard to pyrite. The latter was a brake on families proceeding in that direction.

I worry about the self-assessment element. Many of the people in Riverwalk Court, Longboat Quay and in Donegal suffering as a result of the impact of muscovite mica are under fierce stress already. One's home is one of the foundations of one's well-being and if it is unsafe or is crumbling, that can have a massive impact in the context of stress. In addition, self-assessment is very stressful. Most business people or self-employed people who use the Revenue on-line service to carry out the self-assessment can be very stressed about being correct that their liability is X or Y. Even if they are entitled to money back, they second, third and fourth-guess themselves to ensure they have done it right. They wonder if they will get stuffed three or four years hence if somebody carries out an audit. They also wonder whether they should leave money aside in case they have not paid enough thereby ensuring that if they are audited, they will not fall into arrears with the Revenue Commissioners.

The good news is that the Minister sees that a person who lives in a nearly valueless house should not have to pay property tax on it. Would it not be easier for everybody if a black-and-white understanding could be given by the State to people living in these houses that this is the case, and that it is one of the stresses and strains they do not have to deal with this year as a result?