Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I raise with the Taoiseach the need to regulate management companies effectively. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to conduct a review of the Multi-Unit Developments Act, and almost four years later this has not been acted on. There have been serious questions about the financial management of a minority of management companies over recent years, with allegations in some instances of large payments to directors and contracts awarded to families and friends. There is very serious concern that, when millions of euro of public money is put into apartment remediation schemes, as it needs to be, and channelled through management companies, a portion of that could go astray due to a lack of effective regulation of management companies.

The Minister with responsibility in this area, the Minister for Justice, has declined to meet with the MUD Act Reform Group to discuss implementation of this programme for Government commitment. Draft regulations under sections 18 and 19 of the Multi-Unit Developments Act, as promised in Housing for All, were forwarded to her Department in February 2022. More than two years on, they still have not been issued. When will this commitment in the programme for Government to review the MUD Act be implemented? Why is the Minister for Justice refusing to engage with stakeholders in this area? Why have the regulations, as promised under Housing for All, in sections 18 and 19 of the Multi-Unit Developments Act not been issued?

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