Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

-----and I will see what level of inspection he will seek and I will ask if, like in Britain, in the North, in the USA and elsewhere, the figure will be 100% inspection because that is the only way we can be sure of compliance.

We demand the State should undertake responsibility for remedial work to make the homes safe for residents and then pursue the developers and recoup the costs. That would be simple justice in this situation. We demand a thorough regime of inspection right around the State, particularly to find fire hazards. It is crucial this is done before there is an appalling tragedy and a fire claims the lives of innocent men, women and children. It is critical we put in place a building control regime that operates as a public function present in every development and that every house and apartment is inspected in every stage of the building process so that the people who invest so much of their lives and savings in them can have some security and certainty for their lives and those of their families.

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