Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The concerns around downsizing have not been addressed. There are people who will not have the excess money, because the costs have increased, to rebuild their home to the same size as it was. There is no money to be made out of this and all they are asking is that they will then reduce the size of the house in order that the money they will get from the State will cover the 100% rebuilding of their house. That is all that there are asking for. They are not looking to put any money in their bank and are literally prepared to downsize their own home so that they would not be out of pocket, because they do not have the money. That is the reality of this; they do not have it. How will they be able to build the house to the exact footprint if they do not have the money?

The other issue around the inflation, the SCSI report, which was brought up this morning, refers to the costings which go back to January and they will not be reviewed, as far as is my understanding, for 12 months. We can get into the detail of what was contained in the letter from all of the members of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage with their concerns around the Bill on Wednesday. There is an opportunity then for Members if the Minister will not accept the amendments and be prepared to listen to the concerns because these amendments are not coming from us. They are not Sinn Féin amendments.