Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Ceann Comhairle back.

On the commitments in the programme for Government on defects, the Housing Agency has been tasked with overseeing the pyrite resolution scheme. Over 2,000 families in Dublin and north Leinster have availed of the scheme. The Housing Agency does the testing, makes the prognosis, engages with building contractors and assists with rental accommodation. From start to finish it is involved in the process. Why is the Housing Agency not overseeing the defective concrete blocks scheme in Donegal and the west of Ireland?

If the Government is so confident that the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, SCSI, figures it is standing over today are fine, why does it not ask the Housing Agency to get the deal out there? The outdated numbers from the SCSI for a typical average house to be demolished and rebuilt refer to houses that are 2,300 sq. ft. On the SCSI's website, that would cost €317,400, based on the numbers given today. I hope those numbers are wrong. The campaign rejected a proposal of €108 per sq. ft. The Minister assured them that would not be the figure. The proposed scheme is even worse than they thought. I ask the Taoiseach to clarify urgently that this information is wrong. Why is the Housing Agency not operating the scheme in the west of Ireland as it does in the east to ensure that families who are traumatised do not have to carry this burden?

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