Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

It is quite clear from the opening statements, plus the time that this committee spent on the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill, that this is a highly technical and complex matter. The range of standards, guidance, technical guidance, regulations and inspections that are out there seem quite comprehensive. We saw and heard from people living with mica-impacted homes across Donegal, Mayo and other counties. The committee would like to know that the regimes, inspections and checks are in place now so that we do not see that happen again. There is a considerable suffering and a considerable cost for people living in those houses, and a considerable cost on the State to rectify it as well. As legislators, we would like to know that all of those checks are in place in order that we do not have a repeat of that in the future.

I will move on to members. Deputy Ó Broin suggested that because it is such a technical piece of work we are looking at, we might extend the speaking slots to ten minutes in order that we can cover it in depth. It will still leave us time for a second round. If members are with okay with that, I will suggest that we do so. Of course, members do not need to take the ten minutes, but they will be available.

For our witnesses, the ten-minute slot is for the questions and the answers. We can get written answers if they do not feel they have the information to hand to answer them.