Mr. Paul Benson:

The damage threshold is not being brought in to prevent anyone from getting on to the scheme. Everyone who has excessive amounts of pyrite in their home will get on to the scheme. It is a question of trying to bring people into the scheme at the right time so that they are not in too soon or too late. One of the critical factors the expert group was asked to look at was not the just amount of damage or cracking but what the comfort levels in the home are because if they reach a critical point, you cannot leave somebody in that home waiting. The expert group has made a recommendation to the Minister, who is considering other issues. The feedback from this session will help. The Minister will make a determination as to what the damage threshold will be but it is not intended to be set at a level that will leave people sitting in homes where there is no comfort - you cannot heat them or there is noise or wind. That is not the intention.