Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the clarification with respect to duplexes. There are schemes, such as Millford Manor in Kildare, where the houses had the same defects as the apartments and there was a very serious fire. I ask the Minister to look at that in the context of the legislation.

Has the Minister made up his mind yet on whether this will be an end-to-end scheme similar to the pyrite mediation scheme or a grant scheme? Given the complexity of multi-unit developments, I strongly recommend an end-to-end scheme.

With respect to Deputy Cian O'Callaghan's question around an obligation to declare, there needs to be a change to the law to provide for such a legal obligation where a seller has information about defects, for example, from an extraordinary general meeting, EGM. A standard surveyor's inspection of the property when someone is purchasing will not reveal, for example, the absence of fire stopping, water ingress, etc. For this reason, purchasers of apartments are in a very difficult position. We have seen some cases in the media where people, following purchase, are then contacted by a managing agent or management company to say there are severe defects. I know that is a separate issue, which rests not with the Minister's Department but with the Department of Justice, but I strongly recommend the Minister discuss it with his ministerial colleague.

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