I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. My colleagues have outlined Sinn Féin’s serious concerns with the provisions of the Bill. Its fundamental flaws must be addressed. It is clear that the defective concrete block crisis has devastated thousands of families across the State. The Government’s response to date has focused on counties Donegal, Mayo, Clare, Limerick and Sligo. While that is understandable and absolutely necessary, it is not sufficient. We need 100% redress - nothing less - for all impacted homeowners. This is not just a problem for the west and the north west. I am aware of at least three properties in my constituency of Meath East that have been confirmed as suffering from defective blocks. Families invested their life savings in these homes, which should have been safe and secure but instead are crumbling through no fault of the owners. Meath County Council has engaged with the Housing Agency under section 5 of the 2022 Act. Testing has been carried out and the results confirm that, as feared, defective blocks are present in County Meath, just as elsewhere. It may not be to the same scale but they are present in County Meath. The council has submitted a formal request for inclusion. The Housing Agency completed its investigations earlier this year. Following that, the agency submitted its letter of recommendation to the Department. The evidence is there and the need is urgent but we await the green light in County Meath. Families cannot wait any longer. Every day that passes without inclusion in the scheme adds to their stress and financial hardship. They deserve the same access to redress as homeowners in other counties. We need to improve that scheme, as has been outlined. I call on the Minister to act immediately to designate County Meath under this scheme and ensure that affected homeowners can apply for support without further delay. This is about fairness, equity and doing right by families who have been let down by systemic failures in construction oversight. We must make sure that no county and no family is left behind in this process. We must ensure that every household that has been impacted has access to 100% redress and nothing less.

Sentiment score: -0.04