As the Minister will know, 90% of people aged 65 and over are living in accommodation in excess of their needs, much of which is very difficult to heat. I believe that initiatives to support rightsizing are crucial as our population grows older. Such initiatives release larger accommodation, which is badly needed, reduce our overall need for new building and have considerable social gains. Would the Minister consider measures that would create such an incentive, for example, disregarding capital release from all means tests, including for the fuel allowance and fair deal schemes and for medical cards, giving some capital acquisitions tax, CAT, concession to the nest egg that might be created by downsizing and otherwise promoting this as a desirable social policy?

Deputy Bruton is right to highlight the role that rightsizing or using empty bedrooms around the country can play in meeting current housing needs. There is a balance to be struck. We have to be careful not to introduce any measures whereby people feel they are being forced to sell a home that perhaps they have been in for half a century.

That said, there is merit in examining whether it is possible to have a co-ordinated national approach. In terms of social housing stock, where a family has grown up, the kids have left and there are a number of empty bedrooms, people in some local authority areas have been facilitated in rightsizing. The Deputy is referring to private housing stock, though. We will examine that issue with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.