Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will recall that we had question after question in this Chamber for a long period about Priory Hall, with court cases and one thing and another. This was eventually sorted when the Government took action with the other agencies, the same as applied in respect of the defects in Longboat Quay and others. Obviously, things have changed and engineers are required to sign off on certificates of standards, whether on small issues or major developments.

The Deputy makes the point that home owners did not notice the defects. How could they? Many home owners would not have any practical experience of building standards or of how buildings are constructed. Where rogue contractors, either through greed or taking short cuts, put defective buildings together, or fire traps as was the case in Priory Hall, they are guilty of a grossly serious offence. In my view they should never be allowed to build again, or not for a very long time. Their certificates of competency should be withdrawn. We need a supervisory independent clerk of works or authority to say that is not what they got permission for, that is not the standard, and they must take it down and rebuild it. If they find that somebody signs off on a certificate saying it is of quality that it is not, that person should pay the penalty as well.

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