Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week, I asked the Taoiseach to intervene personally on the issue of fire safety works at Longboat Quay. I asked him to contact directly the developer of the complex, Mr. Bernard McNamara, to ensure that he and those responsible for the lack of adequate fire safety at the apartments footed the bill. The Taoiseach indicated that he needed some time to acquaint himself with the facts of the case. He has now had a week to do so. Since last week, the position of the 900 residents of Longboat Quay has become worse. They now have 25 days to start remediation works or they will be evacuated. They have also been told by Dublin City Council management that the council will not be in a position to house them if they are evacuated. The derisory offer of additional funding from the Dublin Docklands Development Authority has been rightly rejected as unacceptable by residents. They have, therefore, 25 days to produce millions of euro. The Taoiseach and I both know that is neither possible nor fair that they do so.

Bernard McNamara and the people he employed are responsible for the apartments in Longboat Quay. It is not acceptable that residents spend night after night living in fear of fire or evacuation while Mr. McNamara goes about his business rebuilding his development empire. The solution to the problem at Longboat Quay can only be found if those responsible for the fire safety breaches are brought around the table and told to pay up.

I ask the Taoiseach again if he will pick up the telephone, call Bernard McNamara, demand to know what role he will play in resolving this problem and convene the meeting I described to bring all responsible parties around the table to foot the bill?

See this speech in context