The Government will not make a dent in the housing crisis by handing out grants in the budget to first-time buyers, “as supply is the problem and not demand”, according to the Irish Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCSI) .

HOUSEOWNERS are over-insuring their houses because they are unaware that premiums are calculated on rebuilding costs, not the market value.

The Irish Society of Chartered Surveyors has advised homeowners to check if they have the correct insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding their houses.