Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to find a way of getting progress for the homeowners as quickly as possible. I know the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage are examining the very issue Deputy Doherty raises about the nature of the payments and the early payments, the speed of them and so on. We could go down the road of a State guarantee and all that comes with that - legislation, potential state aid issues and examination. Like Deputy Doherty, I want speed of execution. I want to help the homeowners to draw down the money and begin to rebuild their lives as well as their homes.

Deputy Doherty is far closer to this than I because of geography and he represents these families. I can only imagine the trauma they are going through. I assure him that discussions are actively ongoing with a view to finding the best way of addressing this issue. For me, speed is one of the criteria that should decide what we do.

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