Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

These are the reflections of Government, Deputy Higgins. I think, in the context of the serious issue of symphysiotomy, that if the Government is prepared to listen, one does not need monthly meetings. I am far more interested in outcomes and action than in having monthly meetings about such issues. In fairness, a number of Deputies here raised the question of the Magdalen laundries and the women who worked there and that process was put in train. Their stories were heart breaking and there are others like them out there. It is not a matter of having monthly meetings about such serious and sensitive issues. If the Government has the capacity to listen and to act, we can deal with a range of sensitive matters that have not been addressed for far too long.

I have sat in houses, as have many other Deputies, and seen husbands and wives tearful over the fact they have mortgages on homes with cracks in the walls, doors that will not close and floors that are lifting because of pyrite. This is another issue we have to deal with. In fact, if the truth be told, practically every political carpet I have lifted in the last two and a half years was covering a series of very difficult situations. I could put it in different language, I assure the Deputy. Sometimes these things have to be isolated, dealt with and finished, in people's interests. It is very simple really. If we had a system of having independent clerks of works on these jobs with the authority to say, "Sorry, what you have built there is not in accordance with the requirements, knock it", that would take out rogue operators in some areas and the word would spread very quickly that such operators will not get away with it in Ireland. I met with representatives of the Construction Industry Federation the other day. There are some very good contractors and builders who were never in NAMA and who want to be trusted to build what they say they will build, so that those who buy, either in the commercial or residential sectors, can be happy in the knowledge that they are getting a safe building that was built in accordance with proper regulations and standards. They do not want any more Priory Halls, a wish which myself and Deputy Higgins also share.

I am not one for saying tick the box and have another monthly meeting. I am all for dealing with these issues, making decisions and moving on.

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