Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 30:

In page 19, to delete line 36 and substitute the following: “(b) that the level of damage as determined by the damage threshold will determine the order of priority for the remediation of the dwelling.”.

This is a crucial amendment to the homeowners who have contacted Senators and asked us to push this amendment on their behalf. The Minister will immediately understand what this simple amendment seeks to achieve. It reads: “that the immediately that the level of damage as determined by the damage threshold will determine the order of priority for the remediation of the dwelling”. In other words, the amendment seeks to ensure that no one is excluded but that the purpose of the damage threshold is only to prioritise people. That aspect is of massive concern to the whole host of homeowners who have contacted Senators.

The visual inspection is an issue that has already been mentioned here. The Minister will be aware, for example, that in counties like my own county of Limerick, and in counties Clare and Mayo, damage by pyrite has resulted in hairline cracks but not cracks of 1.5 mm or more caused by mica so homeowners are concerned that they will be excluded. The beauty of the amendment is that it makes clear that the "damage threshold" is there to just prioritise the order. Who could possibly argue against that? The homeowners seek to ensure that there is inclusion and I hope the Minister will accept the amendment.