Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)

Like tens of thousands of other young couples, I bought a home in Drynam Hall, between Swords and Kinsealy in Dublin, in October 2005. I paid just under €400,000 for it, I planned a family, I had a reasonable job as a self-employed person and was also a public representative. My wife was studying for a third level qualification and the future was bright. In July 2007, I was informed that my home, with 700 other homes, had pyrite. We later learned that far more than 700 homes were affected. The figure was somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000, not to mention the tens of thousands of other families who are in homes that are sub-standard as a result of shoddy developments, shoddy developers, shoddy work practices and a complete failure on the part of the building control function of the State to ensure those properties were of a reasonable quality standard.

As Deputy O'Donovan indicated, we are now left with the legacy of the Celtic tiger. Knowing that the supposed insurance policy they took out when they bought their property does not cover them because it relates to the builder who built the house does not make it any easier to sleep at night, in particular for some of my constituents whose builders are gone or who are close to disappearing. Such people do not have any recourse. The agreement was not with them, it was with the developer. Families who believed they were protected have been left high and dry without any recourse because the developer has gone or refuses to deal with them, as there is no obligation to do so and because no law exists currently under which they can be prosecuted.

I shadowed the case that was mentioned by my colleague, Deputy Lawlor, concerning Menolly Homes in the Commercial Court for 150 odd days. Like thousands of other families I expended a great deal of personal finance for the purpose of ensuring that my family home – my castle – was protected. Tens of thousands of people have no recourse.

I welcome some of the points and proposals made in the debate on the motion. Some in society have failed in their obligation to sell a reasonable product. It is apparent that despite all the legislation in place and the legislative proposals set out for this Dáil that some will be left with no recourse. The State along with the industry should make a contribution to assist families who have no recourse. I do not just refer to cases such as Priory Hall or developments that are unsafe for human habitation but also estates like my own in north County Dublin and many others across Leinster.

I support the Government's amended motion. I thank the Opposition for tabling its proposal. Opposition Members are safe in the knowledge that several of the proposals they suggested are already coming through. I expect the counter-motion to be passed this afternoon but that does not mean the aspirations of the many families who have gone to the trouble of coming to Leinster House both yesterday and today are thwarted. It means that we will redouble our efforts in order to deliver what we promised last February.

See this speech in context