Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Many of these families are still in exactly the same situation. It is unfortunate a solution has not yet been found. I implore the Government that this living hell should not be allowed to continue for these people.

What must be done? The construction industry must be made responsible for this mess. The Government must step in to stabilise and repair the worst of this damage. It must impose a levy on the industry to make good the full cost of the repairs. While that levy is building, the Government must put the money upfront to resolve the situation. If this Government does not act, it will only compound the despair of the home owners while further damaging the credibility of the political system, which ignores the innocent and fails to hold those responsible to account. We may have our political differences on many issues but we are all on the same page when it comes to recognising the importance of this problem. I understand the wheels of Government turn slowly by their very nature, so I implore the Minister to put as much effort as possible into ensuring no time is wasted and that we do not wait for a levy, but that we make an investment in the houses that need it. I look forward to welcoming the Taoiseach back to Meath in order that he can visit the same houses after they have been repaired.

If that does not happen, however, I challenge the Minister of State and the Taoiseach to go back to the same houses in a year's time and explain why this has not happened. Legislation will be necessary to resolve this problem and I ask the Minister of State to ensure any legislation is retrospective and does not leave a single householder behind.

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