Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

All the players, including householders, are left in limbo until such time as the NSAI comes back with the science to say what the standards will be. I have a vision of everybody suspended in midair until that happens. We are spending millions of euro on this. Government inaction on it is just beyond intolerable. I am not saying this to make a political point. For heaven's sake, if we were ever in any doubt, we have absolute clarity about the negligent delays that have arisen because of Government inaction.

It is wholly unacceptable. How can I go back to the people of Mayo and tell them this is the situation? I have a whole lot of questions and issues that have been raised by them and I have to go back to them and tell them it is as clear as mud. It is very clear that the Government's inaction is holding everything up but with regard to them getting on with their lives, I have to say, after more than a decade, "Can you just hang on another while?"

I will finish with that and let Deputy Mac Lochlainn come in. I thank the witnesses for being here and for their honesty in putting these things on the table. This has to go back to the Taoiseach. We have a new Taoiseach now. As I told him last week, he has an opportunity, once and for all, to put this right. He holds the cards with regard to what needs to be done here. He is acutely aware of what needs to be done to allow people to rebuild their homes and lives.