Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps the Chairman can calculate it and advise us when it takes place. However, it is something that will have to be taken up with the Business Committee because our group was not aware of it. We have no objection to sharing with Deputy Fitzmaurice when it is required, but it is something that must be addressed.

This motion from the Green Party is timely and worthwhile and I support it fully. We have seen the tragic events in London. Hopefully, through the grace of God, there will not be a similar event in this country. However, I wish to use my time to discuss the expert group report on the defective blocks that were used in Donegal. An estimated 5,000 homes have been identified as having serious problems due to the mica content in the blocks. The houses are crumbling before people's eyes. The Minister is probably aware of that. The expert group report has been released and the Mica Action Group is very disappointed with it, because it does not make any definite recommendations in terms of redress or remediation for those homeowners. The Government and the Oireachtas have a responsibility to deal with this and to assist home owners in correcting the problem, even though it will cost a substantial amount of money.

We have failed to regulate the construction industry. We do not insist that product standards are implemented and we do not check or enforce them. We do not require manufacturers to have product liability insurance which would provide the comfort to homeowners that they could have redress if there is a problem with their building at some stage in the future. We must address that. The motion recommends that local authorities be given extra staff to carry out on-the-spot inspections of houses as they are being constructed. That would be a self-financing and worthwhile step. The self-regulation clearly does not work and it will not work in the future.

The Government's proposed amendment includes an interesting line in which it "requests that continuing priority is attached to the completion of further important steps". Who is it requesting to continue the priority? Surely it is the Government's responsibility to prioritise it and to fulfil that request.

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