Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Donoghue for his questions. As I have said previously, those who are responsible should contribute towards remediation. I have engaged intensively with the Attorney General on this matter and he is working on mechanisms to ensure wrongdoing and liability on the part of quarries and other parties are fully penalised.

I recognise the report from 2012 because I was heavily involved in the pyrite scheme. There was provision in the original Act for payments to be made into the scheme. I believe HomeBond made a payment of €2 million - that was it - under the previous scheme. With Government colleagues, I intend to engage with stakeholders on this and pursue and identify those who have been found to have been responsible for this. The Government is stepping in because, as I have said previously, we have a moral responsibility. Legally, however, there are others who are responsible.

We must also look at the Statute of Limitations. This was something from the original expert report that goes back to previous times. I produced legislation at the time in the Seanad that addressed when the Statute of Limitations would start. We are doing a bit of work on that too. The Statute of Limitations would only kick in on the date on which a person receives independent verification of a defect to his or her home as opposed to when someone, who would not be an expert, believes there may be a problem.

The Deputy is correct that there are things we can do. We have also engaged a senior engineer, Mr. Ford, to issue a report on the scheme. Included in this is identifying and pursuing wrongdoing in this area. We must learn the lessons of the past with regard to standards. Where there are any revisions or changes needed to standards and process, I will bring them forward. Provision was made for a levy in the 2012 Act but a levy was never introduced, for whatever reason.

I am looking at all options but those options will not change what I plan to do with the scheme. We must pursue this, and I have said that to homeowners also who were very anxious that those who are responsible are pursued. I intend to do that as best I can legally, on behalf of the State. I will keep the Deputy informed of progress.

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