Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)

I commend the motion before the House and commend Deputy Charles Ward on tabling it. The work of Mary T. Sweeney in Donegal with him must also be commended. I am very proud to speak on behalf of the people and families of Mayo, who have been so desperately affected by the defective blocks scheme. It is a travesty that it has been allowed to drag on for so long. It is really shocking we are still in this situation; despite the fact this was no fault of the families. This was the fault of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael because of light-touch regulation or, indeed, no regulation at all and no system to monitor what was happening in the manufacturing industry in this country. Despite that, the Government has yet to step up to the plate. It is really important the people of Mayo, Donegal, Sligo and Clare get the same treatment that they deserve, namely, 100% redress. We must stop treating the families affected by pyrite as if they are applying for a Government grant. That is what is happening and that is shameful. It is time the Government stepped up to the plate and addressed the situation because there are families across Mayo living in endangered homes. They do not know whether the next storm will bring down their home. Meanwhile, the Government is, in many ways, leading them up the garden path on this. Pre-election promises have failed to materialise. How any politician, in government or opposition, could vote against this motion to treat people with the respect they deserve is hard to believe. Why are the victims in Mayo, Donegal and Sligo treated so radically differently from the victims in Dublin? What is the difference between pyrite and pyrrhotite? The truth is the difference is a couple of atoms of sulphur yet the people of Dublin are treated so differently. How is it that the people of Dublin were given a pyrite resolution board and the people of Mayo have to do their own heavy lifting?

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