Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is a big issue across the 31 local authorities. The lesson has been learned by some local authorities - hopefully by them all - that the bonds in the Celtic tiger period lodged by the developer as surety for works not completed, works not completed properly or deficient works should have been adequate to meet the costs. In many cases, that bond was not acceptable. It was simply a piece of paper. They were let expire and all sorts of nonsense went on. We raised with Graham Doyle when he was in that the Department needs to ensure local authorities ensure a sufficient bond is in place, that the bond can be accessed and that it does not expire over time. Deputy Burke referred to one that is waiting 15 years. There is one around the corner from me built in the late 1990s and part of it is not taken in charge yet.