Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I think we should be able to deal with multi-unit developments and apartments and the exceptional circumstances clause through regulation. If that requires a small amendment to an Act, which it may, we will do that. We have not bottomed that out, but I am putting on record here, as I did in the Dáil, that it is my absolute intention that both those elements be dealt with. We just have not concluded the work on ownership of apartments. If I had, I would be bringing that forward. We have issues with some multi-unit developments. There are owners' management companies for most, there are landlords who are not resident here and there are other things like that that need to be worked through. I am confident we will be able to do so.

Timeframe-wise, I would like to be able to get this bottomed out in the coming months. We will not leave it because it is important. I do not want to hinder the operation of the scheme. I am conscious as well that we have many hundreds of applications under the old scheme, for want of a better phrase, that we can now move on and move through the process. I want to get those done.

We will not stop working on other improvements to this. I do not believe that amendment No. 36 is needed in the Bill itself. Also, I would not be able to stick to the seven-week timeframe so I cannot accede to it, but I intend for us to deal with these matters.