Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, support the amendment. I cannot imagine the thought process around it or what kind of thought process came into it that people are not allowed to downsize. We all know there is massive, indeed savage, inflation in building costs right across the board - even leaving the foundations out of it - in terms of blocks, cement, labour, tradesmen and, above all, timber.

The Government will not allow us to cut a cipín in rural Ireland. It wants to import timber, which is costing a fortune. Thankfully, like Deputy McNamara, I do not have a house that is affected. We are lucky and blessed but people are affected. It is not only the elderly - anyone over the age of 50 or 55 will not get a mortgage. One would have to wonder how an amendment like that is ruled out of order on the basis that there is a cost to the Exchequer. Surely, if you cut your cloth according to your measure and cut it down, it will save money in the long run.

People will be happier. Perhaps children have moved on or whatever and they do not need the same size house. For a plethora of reasons it makes perfect sense to allow them to downsize.

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