Mark Duffy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our friends from the British Embassy who are visiting this afternoon. I look forward to hosting the delegation of visitors from the UK transport committee on Thursday.

I wish to raise the issue of defective concrete blocks, particularly the pyrite in my constituency of Mayo, as well as the mica scheme. The issue has devastated so many homeowners along the western seaboard. Within the new programme for Government there is a commitment to a review and expansion of the scheme to allow improved eligibility but also flexibility for different homeowners. It is not one-size-fits-all for this scheme. There needs to be more flexibility and a more intelligent and empathetic approach to homeowners who pay their local property tax, mortgage and house insurance in good faith and have had the devastation of defective blocks hit their homes. It causes huge emotional and mental health issues for families and that has a knock-on effect for the children. It also affects elderly homeowners. This is the last thing they need at a later stage in their lives.There is a commitment in the programme for Government to reviewing the scheme and I ask for that to be prioritised. May we have a discussion with the Minister on the issue to hear his views on how this can commence? How can we get input from as many homeowners as possible to ensure they are not faced with the high shortfalls within the scheme in terms of supporting the homeowners? There are also shortfalls with the finances. Many homeowners are still out of pocket and are taking on additional loans and mini mortgages to cover the rehabilitation of their properties. It is a discussion we should have in the interests of the hundreds of homeowners affected in Mayo and Donegal, and on the western seaboard generally. I thank the Leader.