Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)

I have not spoken on this issue before but I have listened to so many debates on it over the period of time. It struck me today when I was looking at the update to the Bill and the background to it. It reminds me of when we had issues with pyrite in my constituency. It was one of the first areas where it was discovered that pyrite was affecting homes. I know it is a completely different defect that they had, but they went through some really difficult times. I know some of the families in Dublin West who were utterly distressed over the issue of pyrite and how it was going to be remedied and how they were going to get support. We still have other, different defects in apartment blocks in Dublin West and across the country that are down to very poor building construction and very poor oversight by local authorities and the Government. It was a free for all that allowed developers and builders to pretty much do what they wanted, with all of the self-regulation. We know the reasons we have got to where we are.

I know people in Donegal and I have seen some of the ways this has affected people. I was explaining this to someone the other day. Even in my constituency to this day, I have met a number of families in a brand new estate where they feel that there are building defects or there are issues within their development. Seventy-three families will be moved out of these brand new houses they moved into less than six months ago. They have paid upwards of €500,000 for these houses. They are being remediated but we are still dealing with building defects. I find it incredible that in this day and age these issues are ongoing. I was explaining the pyrite and mica issue to them and they just could not believe that this was happening in this day and age and that these issues, which go back years, have still not been resolved. Even with all of the issues that we are talking about here in relation to this Bill, we still do not have 100% redress. It is still the case that families that cannot rest their heads on a pillow tonight and say it has been sorted. Financial costs have been imposed on these families, as has been said, through absolutely no fault of their own. This was nothing to do with them. They did everything in good faith. They did what they were supposed to do and yet they are still left in this situation where they do not have 100% redress.

I have listened to the TDs from Donegal, such as Pearse and Pádraig. I just cannot believe that we are still here and that those people cannot look forward to Christmas knowing that this has been sorted out. I appeal to the Minister on a human level to make sure that this is dealt with and that these people get what they deserve, which are the homes they paid for.

See this speech in context