Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

On 24 January 2012, we said in this Chamber: "The predicament of the people who lived in the Priory Hall complex was big news a while back and then it was in the news again but, sadly for them, the nightmare has not gone away". That was 20 months ago, which is frightening. A couple of days before that, I went to Priory Hall and examined some of the apartments. I examined beneath the surface just to see how they were built. I have seen good and bad construction work throughout my life but I was absolutely shocked by what was tolerated at Priory Hall. It was worse than usual. I felt then that, as a builder, I would not actually have liked the challenge of making the work good. It would have been so difficult. I felt then that the development should be torn down. There is little doubt at this stage but if there is to be fairness the residents should have their mortgages wiped. They should be entitled to new mortgages for new properties. The site should be levelled for now. It would not be fair to ask the residents to return to the property. The building cannot be made suitable for living in as ought to be the case.

So many people are culpable. The builder was obviously culpable. The architect and engineer who signed off on it are culpable. The bank sent out valuers to check the buildings to make sure they were worth the money the residents were parting with. They are also culpable and the Government must force them to take responsibility.

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