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

We have been in the House on many occasions over the years dealing with legislation that would regulate the building and construction industry. Again and again it failed because of the closeness of whoever was in government at the time to the building industry. Again and again the building industry had influence over legislation. Where did it take us? It took us to the disaster of pyrite on the east coast and mica and pyrite on the west coast. There has been no regulation, light-touch regulation and self-regulation. This is why the points that have been made are so important. We cannot have the industry overseeing the register. We cannot have representatives of the industry on the board overseeing the register. It must be an independent register and there must be independent oversight of the industry.

I find it objectionable to see the presentation of people in Donegal, Mayo and elsewhere in the west of Ireland as looking for money for their houses. Where is the analysis of the utter failure of successive Governments to regulate the building, construction and manufacturing industries? How did we allow a scenario whereby local authorities were completely starved of resources to do that job and make sure blocks were manufactured to the proper standard? How can it be that in another jurisdiction on our island people in the building industry are observed at every stage of construction? Homes are built to a much higher standard. How is it that we could not have achieved that?

I want to make an appeal. Our people in Donegal, Mayo and elsewhere in the west of Ireland waited for many years to have a scheme on defective blocks that is 100% redress. They were failed by those who spoke in the House over the years. Those tasked with legislation in the House over the years failed those families. They are victims of legislative and regulatory failure. They cannot be abandoned anymore. We need genuine 100% redress. We need it urgently. We need the legislation to be put through these Houses as soon as possible and a scheme that gives them the opportunity to rebuild their lives. They had to go through another Christmas with this nightmare all around them, with no clarity about what the future will be. I take this opportunity to appeal to the Minister to ensure that when we deal with this legislation he is mindful of the failures of the past and to give 100% redress to our families in Donegal, Mayo and elsewhere in the west of Ireland. That is the least we owe them for the failures in legislation in the House over the years.

See this speech in context