Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As I said, I am extremely aware of the difficult and distressing circumstances in which the homeowners and families in question find themselves. I have visited their homes and spoken to them. I reiterate, however, that building defects are generally matters for resolution between the relevant contracting partners, namely, the homeowner, the builder and the materials provider and-or their respective insurers. I urge the responsible parties in the cases the Deputy mentions to take all appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected homeowners. Similarly, if any of the affected homes is covered by a structural guarantee or structural insurance, the homeowner may wish to pursue this avenue to seek redress.

The Deputy keeps mentioning the pyrite redress scheme. That was a scheme of last resort where builders or suppliers who should have been accountable could not be legally pursued by the people involved. I do not want to see any family abandoned who have been left in the lurch, but the State cannot intervene when responsible people or entities can still be pursued. That has to happen as we cannot expect the State to remedy every building defect in the country when there are people who should be held to account for the very substandard buildings they have put up for innocent families.

I am sympathetic to those involved, which is why I visited them and commissioned a report on the matter. I am considering taking it a step further, but I urge the Deputy and other Deputies such as my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, who is closely involved in assisting the people in question, to pursue those involved to the end to ensure there is accountability. I am considering the report and will make further decisions in due course.

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