Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I appreciate that the reports must be brought to Cabinet, but what type of timeframe are we looking at in terms of getting a response for struggling home owners? They are now worried about the possibility of having to pay a property tax in addition to everything else, especially those who are in negative equity. A report in one of today's newspapers indicated that a decision would be made in October. However, the longer this is let slide, the greater the numbers who will experience hardship and the more difficult it will be to assist those whom it is possible to assist - and there are many such - to keep their homes.

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