Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise with the Taoiseach what is happening with housing developments around the country. The one I raise today is Bailey Hill in Navan, County Meath by Kingscroft Developments. There has been serious delay after delay when it comes to finishing the houses and giving people the keys to their new homes. Many young people and couples are in this predicament. A couple signed sale agreed in February 2023. They were told they would be in their house by that May, three months before their child was born. That child is now 13 months old. The estate agent T and J Gavigan took a €5,000 deposit on 28 February 2023. Kingscroft claimed €26,179 from the help-to-buy scheme in 2023. A further €6,320 was taken by the builder on 28 June 2023; quick to take the money, not so quick to finish the house. This couple are constantly ringing Kingscroft looking for an update with no one getting back to them.

A couple I know of pulled out of the sale because of mortgage issues. That house was up for sale the next day for €35,000 more. Is the developer waiting for others to do the same? The estate agent is blaming the ESB and Uisce Éireann, but never itself or the builder. This couple will have to apply for their fourth mortgage approval in December, causing immense stress to this young family who have run out of hope. Will the Minister for housing call Kingscroft Developments to find out when these people are finally going to get the keys to their new homes? They have suffered enough.

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