Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This amendment goes to the crux of all of the issues around this Bill and what is happening in connection with it. Unfortunately, I believe this Bill is an attempt to save the State money. That is what it is all about. This sets that out. The Government's original definition of a "dwelling" is that it "means a house and does not include an apartment, maisonette or duplex". Is it that people do not live in these premises, do not own them and do not need to get them fixed and maintained? This is about saving money. It is very short-sighted and will end up costing the State an awful lot more. By the time this whole issue is dealt with, it will have cost an awful lot more than the Minister hopes it will if he does this. This legislation will probably go through today without any real changes and it will have to be revisited at a later stage. The Minister or whoever is in his role at that time will have to do that because this legislation is not fit for purpose. It does not deal with the issues facing the people of this State. We are responsible for ensuring they can live properly and live well. I was interested to hear the suggestion that the quarries should be held responsible. They should be held responsible but ultimate responsibility for this problem lies with this House. That is the reality of the situation. It was this House that introduced self-certification and removed the requirement for external certification. This House and the politicians within it did that. We did that in the name of the Irish people and we should now put our hands up and make it right. We should do so properly because this Bill will only have to revisited.

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