Mr. Damien Owens:

A scheme was put in that looked at levels of deterioration of assessed properties and kept records of the deterioration and properties were given a classification. This allowed the properties to be conveyed, sold and remediated later. It was put in as an enduring solution, recognising that the issue would last for several years.

On the second point of personal indemnity insurance, the key issue is the unwillingness of some insurers to cover work in this space because of uncertainty and the risk profile. One way around it may be to provide some level of indemnification. For example, engineers who work in the Housing Agency or are otherwise engaged by the State are indemnified for their work in it. However, engineers on the other side who do the assessment and designs and who sign off are not indemnified. Therefore the indemnification comes from their insurers. That is where the risk is.