Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is disappointing the Minister is leaving because I wanted to talk to him about the defective concrete block redress scheme in Donegal and elsewhere. Despite having been badly let down, people are trying to engage and rebuild their homes. The question, however, is about the mortgageability of these homes following remediation. Will people be able to sell the properties or get top-up mortgages in future? These are key issues. In a reply to a parliamentary question I asked, the Minister indicated the properties would be fully remortgageable once a home had been certified as remediated. However, I have been informed that a number of engineers cannot guarantee certification of properties for a number of options under the scheme. I would like to ask the Minister who has just walked out whether he has sought clarification from the engineering sector on this issue. Why is there no implementation group involving key stakeholders, namely, the homeowners, the banking industry, the insurance sector and the engineers, to resolve outstanding issues? Will the Minister set up such a group? The other issue is that the banks have put forward a proposal of a zero-interest loan for homeowners to help them get set up.

I understand it is with the Department. What is the update in that regard?

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