Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I share Deputy Murphy's sentiment that we should have been able to get some contribution from the construction industry, the quarrying sector and the insurance sector. However, when we went through the process of setting up the remediation scheme, the legal opinion from the Attorney General stated explicitly that providing for the levies led to a substantial risk of a successful challenge by the quarry owners. I could have challenged that legally but it would have meant that the homeowners - those we are trying to help - might have to wait three or four more years while that legal process was going through the courts, in order to wait for a solution. Rather than do that, I got the approval of the Government to set up the pyrite resolution board on a statutory basis - the legislation will be published shortly - and to give an Exchequer contribution to kick-start the process. Further moneys will be made available as necessary, in light of the independent panel's report, in 2014 with the capital stimulus.

While I agree with the Deputy that I would much prefer to have imposed levies on the quarrying industry and on the insurance industry, I must take legal advice. I am sure the Deputy's and my concern is that the homeowners get a speedy resolution to their problem. I assure the Deputy that we will continue to pursue, based on cases before the courts at the moment, all avenues to ensure we get a contribution from the sector.

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