Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will be very brief. I wish to raise the help to buy scheme. There is a significant error in the legislation. I was contacted by a woman, Susan Brackett, and her partner who signed a contract in January 2020 under the new help to buy scheme. Her husband, like many other people, will not get his quarterly bonus as a consequence of the pandemic. Susan was on the PUP but has now gone back to work, albeit on a reduced income. The Covid-19 crisis stopped work going ahead which means they will have to rent for an additional four months. Will it be possible to backdate the increases for those affected by the pandemic for four months? They are at a distinct disadvantage. I have been told by a man in a similar position, Dean Grainger, that an extra 5% would be life-changing money for the likes of his family or Susan's people. Quite a small number of people are affected by this anomaly, but the change I have mentioned would make a huge difference to them.

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