Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the announcement of the new mica scheme the Cabinet approved on Tuesday. It is appropriate that people would be 100% compensated. However, I have concern that County Clare has not yet been included in that scheme. I understand that there is ongoing engagement between departmental officials and officials from Clare County Council, but it is very frustrating that Clare has still not been approved for inclusion in that scheme. The people with defective homes in County Clare through no fault of their own are as entitled to get redress as the people in Donegal, Mayo and other counties. The Minister should come to the House before Christmas to explain what on earth is going on that Clare has not been included. I know there are issues with the scheme and that not everybody is happy with it. However, I regard them as technical issues. If Clare is included, the technical issues can be dealt with, engaged with and overcome. It is simply not good enough that Clare has not been included yet.