Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would also like to express my solidarity with the homeowners from counties Clare, Limerick, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal who are watching the debate today but did not feel that they had it in them to make the journey to Dublin again. They have fought an incredible battle. It is important to acknowledge that while they are fighting this campaign, they are also living with the stress of not knowing whether their house will survive the next storm. That is an enormous amount of pressure to be living with.Everybody knows that one's home is fundamental to stability in one's life and to one's mental health. These homeowners have taken time off work, have footed the costs incurred in travelling from across the country to Leinster House and the only thing they are looking for is fairness. They invested in a home for themselves and for their families and all of this is due to the failures of the State and the light-touch regulation we have had in this State for ever. This regulation has been repeatedly resisted. It seems that we always have to have a crisis before there are changes in the regulations to protect people. All they are looking for is fairness. It always seems to be the way that there is one law for ordinary citizens and another one for business interests.

We will be debating the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022 on the Stardust tragedy later on today. This is another example of where vested interests trumped families.

It is simply astounding that we listened to Senators who are members of Government political parties admit today that defective blocks still are being produced.

It is also unbelievable that we have not heard at all of how the State is not putting every resource available into pursuing those who are responsible for the existing houses in order that they foot the bill for the damage they have caused. Too often we have heard the phrase that lessons will be learned. It is a phrase that is just thrown out. What lessons are being learned if defective blocks are still being produced and if those responsible for the existing houses have not been held to account or pursued in the courts?

Returning to the Bill in front of us, however, the first thing to say is the procedure has been shoddy. When citizens of this country walk away in despair from the Houses of Parliament, Dáil Éireann, after having been traumatised, everybody has to put their hands up to say the legislators have failed them.