Manus Boyle (Fine Gael)

We will be waiting for you.

I raise the issue of defective concrete blocks in Donegal, which has been raised here a couple of times. On behalf of the Fine Gael councillors in Donegal, Jimmy Kavanagh, Martin Harley and Michael Boyle, I express deep concern regarding the defective blocks scheme. Numerous homeowners face real financial hardship. The delay in the implementation of the scheme is costing families many thousands of euro. Children are living on building sites. Last week, I visited a couple of the affected houses. You could put your hand through the gable walls of the houses, which is a sight I thought I would never see. The Minister really needs to engage. We need to invite him to the House to find out what is going on with these scheme. It needs to be pushed on. The people affected are at their wits' end. I never imagined that the problem was as bad as it is. I come from Donegal which is where the problem is the worst, including north Donegal.

On my recent visit, I met a family who have been looking for temporary accommodation for their daughter for two years. She is wheelchair bound and they cannot get accommodation. They want to build a house beside their family home so they can move between the two. Incredibly, they are not allowed to do that under the scheme. It is ridiculous that they cannot build a house just 12 ft over the field from their home.

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to come in here to address where the scheme is going and how we can push it on. It has been kicked down the road for far too long.