Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for the response. He is correct in saying that the legislation states that, within 12 months of the legislation being enacted, the Minister of State has the discretion to increase it by up to 10%.

It is important that I point something out. Even at this early stage of the scheme, while the officials' interpretation is that there is no robust data, there is human data. There has been trauma for ten years. There is anguish. Families are struggling. People want to see light at the end of the tunnel. I ask the officials who are listening to this debate tonight or who may be in a position to listen to it tomorrow, the next day or the following day to take seriously the human impact of what is happening. Brexit and Covid-19 landed on our shores. We dealt with them immediately, but we did not deal with this issue immediately. It has still not been dealt with. It has to have the focus of all Departments - that may include the Department of Finance or the Department of the Taoiseach - at a high level. I have called for this previously.

I welcome that the Department has been in touch with the chair of the expert group about reconstituting it to undertake a review of the rates. That is important, but I ask that the voice of the homeowners be at the table as well. I have been calling for that continually because the word "expert" is used loosely in the world of politics. The people who have gone through this and been campaigning are experts in their own right and should be around that table.

The Minister of State's bona fides have been consistent the whole time. He has shown empathy. In the final months of his tenure in his Department, I ask that he please use his efforts, his wisdom and his understanding of the human condition to try to bring a bit of light to the end of the tunnel. I thank him for attending and I ask that the senior Minister consider the possibility of 10%.

I am looking for a wee bit of time. I will degress, but I will not digress. I have called for two actions: the transfer of eligibility for pensioners who cannot hand theirs houses down to their children; and penalty-free downsizing. These two policies would not cost the state 1 cent. I was not listened to, but I still have them on my agenda and I am looking for them to be addressed even at the eleventh hour of this Government.

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