Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It would be great if the Minister could set up a fund in order that work could be done immediately. The affected home owners should not have to wait any longer. In case the Minister cannot set up the fund immediately, will he consider the Government accessing the money by making the stakeholders pay for it?

The Minister stated the regulations compare well with Britain and there is a bit of innocence on board here. I agree building regulations here are as good as anywhere. However, the manner in which the testing of hard-core stone was regulated was not as good. The Minister may claim knowledge about this was weak before 2007 but I was always told ignorance of the law was not an excuse. The Government has a responsibility in this regard to look after the home owner first. It must take the leading role and then access the moneys from the stakeholders.

The Minister does not see the logic, given the expense involved, of testing homes that have been proved to have pyrite. Would he consider setting up an agency that would core test homes in respect of which testing has been requested and make them pay for the remedial work, a bigger bill than testing?