Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. It was interesting and helpful. As I said from the outset, we all want a proper sustainable and robust construction industry, including mechanisms of control and ultimately redress for people who feel they were short-changed or in some way did not have a satisfactory outcome.

This morning's process was really important. I want to recount the four key messages I have taken from our deliberations today and from previous presentations we have had. They get to the kernel of the issue. I would like the witnesses to respond briefly to this. There was a suggestion that there is inadequate consumer protection, particularly for home buyers, and that there is no mechanism for consumer redress. We are told there are inherent conflicts of interest with CIRI in terms of independence. The CIF is an organisation with a track record of lobbying. My observation from reading media is that it is a particularly good lobbyist. That is its right and it would be failing its members if it did not do that. I acknowledge it is an important part of its work. It is now seeking a regulatory role in the same sector in which it is operating. Outside of here, people are saying it cannot be judge and jury in its own cause. Our job is to tease out the issues.

Another issue is the absence of independent regulatory oversight of CIRI, which is not in accordance with best practice. That is what is being suggested. The final issue is that restrictions on the activities of builders and trades people is not in compliance with EU law and specifically the service directive.

There are a number of challenges. We need answers to some of those because they are very serious. Ultimately, it is about confidence in the sector for CIRI and the consumer. Will the witnesses deal specifically with those challenges? Perhaps they will refute them but we need to hear it from them.