It is a bit galling, to be brutally frank with the Minister of State, to listen to him telling us all about how frustrated he is and how somebody really should do something, how the blockages must be removed and how deeply frustrated he is that things are taking so long. Who could possibly be to blame? I know it is Christmas, but he could spare us the bloody pantomime.
Sentiment score: -0.61
Come on. I am telling-----
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Do not interrupt me. I listened to 12 minutes of the Minister of State describing his frustration but never managing to mention who it is he is frustrated with and who is causing these delays. The power is his. He is in government. He is the Government but, my God, he is so frustrated with the delays. That act does not fool anyone. It certainly does not fool me. It certainly would not fool people looking in this evening whose houses are crumbling down around their ears and have to hear their kids ask when they are going to get their new house and when they will be able to sleep. I know this because I have dealt with this issue in my constituency. People's lives were ruined. Mention was made earlier of post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. These people will absolutely have to live with the consequences, even after the scaffolding is taken down. My constituents waited for years because their houses were just not bad enough. They had to wait until their houses were crumbling down around their ears. They had to wait until their living conditions got so bad that they could get into the scheme. Even after that, the trauma continues. The publication of the legislation shows us the Government has learned nothing, absolutely nothing, from the litany of its past mistakes. This was all acknowledged by the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, as if it was somehow somebody else's fault. Give us a break, for God's sake. It is utterly shameless of him to come in here and pretend and say somebody should do something. Really? That somebody is him. People were promised 100% redress. That is what they expect. It is not their fault the blocks were defective. It is no fault of theirs. The Minister of State and his colleagues were in government. Maybe it is their fault. Would the Minister of State assume any responsibility? He does not take any responsibility at all. It is always somebody else's fault.
Sentiment score: -0.13
This is my time, so I will speak, thank you.
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It is always somebody else's fault with youse.
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Last week, there was a response to a question of mine, taken by my party colleague Deputy Ó Broin, to ask the Minister when my constituents living in Skerries and Rush will be facilitated with entry into the scheme, because they too are suffering due to defective blocks. My colleague made the point the report is on the Minister's desk. Do you know what the Minister said? We must bear in mind this debate took place very late at night and my constituents waited up to watch it. Some of them are elderly. They are all terrified. Their houses are damp and mouldy and bits are falling off. The Minister said that one thing he noted was how often somebody tells him that there is something on his desk when his desk is empty. Does the Minister of State think that kind of smart-alecky answer is going to cut it with people? It really is not and neither is his pantomime act coming in here pretending like it is somebody else's fault or that somebody else has the power to help people. They were promised 100% redress. That is not what is in this. They want to see the Government working with the Opposition, listening, taking amendments on board and ensuring this legislation is fit for purpose because it is not.
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Hear, hear.
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