Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that it is deeply disappointing that the long-awaited memo on the Celtic Tiger-era building defects redress scheme did not go to cabinet today. 

The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, previously told both the Dáil and affected homeowners that the memo, outlining the government’s intentions for the redress scheme, was to be tabled before the end of the year.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Darragh O’Brien informed both the Dáil and affected homeowners that a memo on the Celtic Tiger-era building defects redress scheme was to be tabled at cabinet today. 

“The memo was to set out the government’s intention with regard to the shape and timing of the redress scheme for those living in homes with fire safety and other structural defects.

“However, the long-awaited memo was not tabled. Homeowners have been informed that it will instead be brought to the first cabinet meeting in January.

“Homeowners have been waiting too long for a redress scheme to fix defects caused by lax government regulation and shoddy industry practice. Across the state, thousands of affected homeowners were eagerly awaiting news from cabinet today.

“Instead, they have been told they will have to wait until January. This is deeply disappointing. For the sake of the homeowners, I hope there are no further delays.

“Homeowners and tenants living in defective homes need 100% redress. They also need funding for emergency interim fire safety measures. 

“Any redress scheme must be end-to-end, must be managed by a single public agency and must be retrospective. Homeowners who did nothing wrong deserve nothing less.”