Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 37:

37. In page 136, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following:

“PART 6

REPORTS

Report on the introduction of levies with respect to the funding of defective block and fire safety redress schemes

66. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the introduction of levies against certain financial institutions, construction companies and insurance undertakings to part-fund redress schemes with respect to properties affected by defective blocks, fire safety and other such defects.”.

This amendment deals with the defective block redress scheme. The scheme brought forward by the Government has been rejected outright by the homeowners in Donegal and other affected counties because of the sliding scale agreed by the Cabinet. It has to go and the Minister has to move on this quickly. The Minister's party leader is sitting beside him and I hope this does not fall on deaf ears. These families have gone through huge turmoil over the last period. There is a huge personal and mental health issue here and the Cabinet can do the right thing by getting rid of the sliding scale and making sure the proper amount estimated by the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland, SBCI, is made available to demolish and rebuild these homes.

The amendment talks about the contribution by the financial sector. I have put questions to the Minister regarding this issue. I have spoken to a number of CEOs of the banks about the contribution I believe they should make. I understand the Minister has not had any engagement with any financial institution. That was the situation two weeks ago, despite this going on for months. Will the Minister outline to the Dáil the engagement he has had with the CEOs of each of the banks on a financial contribution? Does he intend that the financial institutions will make a contribution to the redress scheme?

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