Mr. Andrew Prior:

There was a sense of injustice. I paid money to all the stakeholders and have to pay it back over 27 years, so I would expect to have 27 years of protection. Of the €375,000 that I paid for that apartment, €44,600 was VAT and there was stamp duty too. There is also VAT on furniture and such. The Government took a fair whack out of that apartment at the highest possible price it could have been sold for at the time, and probably still could be sold for, though I would never get that much for the apartment at present. The Government, developer and main contractor were stakeholders. I feel a significant sense of injustice. The financial burden is very high. I have a family - three children and a wife. I want to protect my income. I have sacrificed my pension and private healthcare in some instances. I know of people in the Beacon South Quarter whose healthcare is affected. One lady cannot really afford the medicine that she needs and has to get help from relatives to pay. Other people who barely make ends meet and may be on the help to buy scheme also have these apartments.

While I am relatively lucky in that I am not massively discommoded, there are those who are going without to pay. I understand that 5% to 10% of the scheme comprises social housing of some description, or associated with the help-to-buy scheme. Those concerned would find it very hard to pay. From speaking to them, I have learned they are very worried every time a bill comes in. Ms Cottier has spoken to them also.