Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

VAT is a sore point, but there is also the replacement issue. The Minister talked about keeping the original windows and doors in the houses. Why can these people not avail of a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, grant? They are building new homes, but the Minister wants to build them to standards from 20 years ago. The scheme is not fit for purpose, which we have been telling him for the past year. He needs to start listening to the large number of families involved. I could send him two emails I received in the past 24 hours. Every day, I receive emails from families highlighting point after point. Whatever about the Minister's comment on the amount of State funding, I cannot understand why he has not sat down with the banks, told them that they are not stepping up to their responsibilities and asked them why, since the State is restoring assets over which they have control to full market value from zero, they will not help these families and get them to the point where they can make their homes safe. Why can he not at least sort that out?

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