Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach mentioned mica, pyrite and apartment defects. The core problem here is that we do not have effective building control. Until we bring in a system of proper building control, we will continue to put billions of euro into the rectification of problems with innocent people's properties. I do not believe the cure for this problem is to put a levy on young people who are trying to build houses. Ironically, the public purse will be used to pay the additional costs on public sector contracts arising from this levy. The Government will pay out money for the additional costs on houses to local authorities to build them. I agree that help is there and I welcome the fact that the help-to-buy scheme has been extended for another year, although it should be expanded to second-hand houses. Leaving that aside, there is something fundamentally flawed with bringing in this levy at this time. It will do nothing to cure the problem we have and the rogue operations that are there. That is where the problem lies, and it is where the solution lies as well.

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