Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I recognise the NDFA is not at fault here, and I am sure my colleague will tease out some of the oversight issues in terms of Carillion and Sammon. The National Development Finance Agency and the State can step in and this goes to the nub of the issue. Mr. Cahillane, on behalf of the NDFA, confirmed to me the last time he appeared before the committee that the NDFA has to certify that the works are to the relevant standards. What the NDFA is now doing - perhaps not Mr. Cahillane personally - is trying to find a way to circumvent the regulations to allow for these works to be certified in a way that they cannot be certified.

An inspector who was not present when the works were being carried out cannot certify that those works were carried out to the standard required in the legislation. The problem with that approach, Mr. Cahillane, is that it allows for the contractor to shaft the subcontractors. Let me put a different approach to you. On behalf of the NDFA, you should go back to the code of practice for inspecting and certifying building works. The regulations state very clearly it is those who installed the materials, those who developed the works on the ground, who must certify those works. Therefore it is up to you to find a way to do that. The way to do that is to pay the individuals who carried out the works. Is that not the best approach that will clarify this issue for everybody?