Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy Leader for proposing the Order of Business. I wish to raise the issue of apartment defects and a redress scheme. In particular, I wish to raise the issue of Metropolitan Apartments in Dublin 8. There is a commitment that a redress scheme will be available. We had hoped to see some movement within the budget last year. Unfortunately, there has not been movement. The report of the construction defects working group has been sitting on the Minister's desk since July at this stage.

There is a real worry among apartment owners who are affected that the retrospective element of the scheme will not apply. In particular, there is anecdotal evidence. Residents tell me that where there are levies, people are afraid of spending the money now to make sure their apartments or buildings are fire safe because they are concerned that the retrospective element of the scheme will not be included in it. I would like the Minister to commit that there will be a retrospective element to the scheme for people who have spent money to date.

The fire officer has ordered the car park at Metropolitan Apartments in Kilmainham to be closed. It will potentially be closed until mid-2023, if not beyond. I am trying to work with Dublin City Council at the moment to get people permits for on-street parking. I have been coming up against bureaucracy from one State agency to another and the residents are caught in between. This is being caused by a lack of a commitment to a retrospective scheme. People cannot pay money to be able to make their car park fire safe until they know they will be able to apply for a scheme. There is already a commitment that the Government will have a redress scheme in place for mica. We need a commitment that people who are spending money at the moment, or else living in unsafe conditions, are able to apply retrospectively.

I also wish to raise the issue of Tathony House, which is a 35-person apartment block in Dublin 8. The more than 100 residents have been served an eviction notice to the effect that all 35 of the apartments are going to be sold. The owner, who has a very substantial rent roll, is saying that the Tyrrelstown amendment does not apply to him because it will cause him undue hardship. This is a perfect situation where we see the right to sell affecting more than 100 people in 35 apartments. They could or should be sold with the tenants in situ, either to a local authority or housing association or even on the private market. However, we should not have a situation where 100 people are being turfed out on the street because of undue hardship to somebody who is sitting on a rent roll of €700,000 per year. The tenants are protected now while the eviction ban is in place. Come the summer, however, those 100 residents in 35 apartments will not be protected. The idea that some private landlord can make a decision that affects so many people in the middle of a housing crisis is an absolute disgrace. I ask the Government to step in to try to come up with a solution for existing residents, but also to ensure that this is not allowed to happen. A figure of 35 apartments is a substantial number, particularly when we have more than 11,000 people, including 3,000 children, living in homelessness. This is a big contributing factor.