Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

It may not make sense to some people but this tool has also been used by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for some time. One cannot deny that a major difference exists in regard to house prices in Dublin and the rest of the country. The further one goes, the greater the difference. If Wicklow and Kildare were included in the Dublin region, Laois could argue for inclusion. The line must be drawn somewhere. The 5% imputation in the means assessment is what really counts. Where there is a limit to the money provided for a scheme, one must establish qualifying criteria. An extra 2,000 people will benefit as a result of this measure during 2007.