Mr. Se?n Moynihan:

On the rightsizing situation and looking at the needs of older people, 15% of older people say they would rightsize if something were available in their community. That is 80,000 units of housing that would be freed up. Again, if we create a rightsizing policy without any provision to build, or targets or incentives to build, or provision for who will build, whether it is the private or social sector, we will not get rightsizing. It will just feel as if people who bought their homes are being asked to move and make way for another generation.

On social housing, and we are an approved housing body as well, we are saying that, ultimately, approved housing bodies and the local authorities are the only ones who can really provide safety and security in old age. With that, comes a network of supports run by people like us, Age Friendly Ireland and others, which can be tapped into and rolled out in line with that so we provide support. Many people will be single or aged 75 plus, which means frailty and support issues will come with that. Between living at home and a nursing home, most European countries have a model called extra care housing or housing with support. One is currently being developed in Inchicore. It has taken eight years under the previous housing plan and is a pathfinder project. Ultimately, we need to find ways of getting the Departments of health and housing working together to get those types of housing models, where people might have an alternative to going into a nursing home, in place.