Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is why I want to put on record what they have said about this Bill. I am quoting directly from them; these are their voices. They say:

It is imperative that the voice of the Homeowners, the victims of Defective materials, is heard and ... [in particular] the Government ... [politicians] ... listen before it is too late. Listen, because to date, you have not listened. We are angry, frustrated and the endless torture will not be tolerated to go on a minute further.

I have a second quote:

Last week we were due to see ... A workable scheme that would enable the thousands of homeowners across 13 counties to move forward with their lives. Instead, what was delivered over 60 pages was contempt for us homeowners, in the same week the Housing Committee heard quarries are still producing defective materials. How can we [be expected to] trust a system which is not fit for purpose failing in its responsibility to protect victims, citizens, and taxpayers? Threats of fines and imprisonment for innocent homeowners. Minister nowhere mentioned were the equivalent fines or threats of imprisonment for the true perpetrators in this. The producers of these defective blocks, including giants of the Irish ... [construction] Industry.

Again, let met stress those are not my words but those of the homeowners who were, unfortunately, ignored last week. I have a further quote:

To date this government has broken all parliamentary process when trying to rush this scheme through the statutory legislative stages. You have given us no time to review the bill, no time to debate the bill, no time to even communicate and discuss the consequences of the long-term aspects of the bill to the thousands of homeowners whose lives will be destroyed by not only defective blocks, but your failure to provide true redress for the problem.

The statement concludes:

Minister let us be [very] clear, so our words are not misunderstood. If this bill is not amended, we the homeowners will not support it. We will continue our campaign and protests until it is amended, until it is fit for purpose. Fit for the citizens of this country who need to avail of it to fix their homes. It is not just our houses that this is destroying, but our daily lives, our working lives, our family lives, our physical and mental wellbeing, the very fabric of our communities.

That is the judgment that was passed on the Minister's response to the Bill last Wednesday, specifically, his refusal to take amendments. Even the Government's own Deputy from Donegal, Deputy McHugh, voted against the Bill because he knows it is not right.

During Committee Stage in the Dáil the Government refused to accept amendments that would make a real difference to the scheme and make it workable, for example those on the earlier SCSI updating of costings that Senator Cummins has mentioned. He has called out the fact we have inflation. The Senator is right. The good news is he has an amendment to vote on in that regard. However, there is a problem, and one we have seen far too often in this political field. I went through with care the contributions on Second Stage in the Dáil and saw Government Deputies talking about all the things that needed to be done to improve the Bill. Despite this, when it came to voting and having acknowledged the Bill was not where it needed to be, each and every one of them, with the exception of Deputy McHugh, went into the voting lobby to support the Bill. Is it any wonder people were disgusted, crying and deeply upset? A colleague of mine from County Clare was there with colleagues from the county who are not of our party. One of them swore and said, "I know this man won't let me down" - but he did. He did not even give eye contact up to the Gallery and he voted in the lobby to reject amendments he promised he would support. That is the reality.

Some of these amendments were very simple. Take the idea foundations are excluded. Let us be clear about that. It means when this Bill is launched, if an engineer comes to a house he will not be able to check the foundations, or not until such time as foundations are included in the scheme. We know that is months, or perhaps a year away. That is the reality at the moment. These were sensible amendments that could have and should have been listened to but were not. Let me stress again the words I quoted are not mine but those of the homeowners, many of whom said to me over the weekend they could not face coming back down here again this morning, having been let down so badly by their own local politicians.

To speak again on Limerick, we do not even the true number there. We think it might be around 750 houses. It is hugely significant. It is good we are included in the scheme but it is entirely unacceptable we still have key issues like penalties for downsizing, the exclusion of foundations and the SCSI costings which, under the Minster's Bill, we will have to wait 12 months to see any change to.

These are fundamental issues that must be grasped and this is the Minister's last chance; this is the opportunity. I must be frank and say I do not believe the Minister will accept a single amendment but I hope he will at last listen because what is clear from the statement from homeowners is he has not listened to date. He has not taken heed of their concerns and people feel betrayed. That is the truth of the matter. They feel betrayed and they are watching this debate this morning. They will be watching Committee Stage. I again put on record my deep disappointment we do not have enough time to debate these amendments. I acknowledge the Leader gave us an extra two hours and I welcome it but to rush this Bill though in the way the Government has is, given the complexities of it, hugely disrespectful not just to us on the Opposition benches but to everyone in this Chamber. The Minister can and must do better.