Pringle: Action needed to make sure defective blocks crisis never happens again

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, said steps must be taken to ensure the defective blocks crisis never happens again as he repeated his call on Government to deliver 100% redress for property owners affected by defective blocks.

Deputy Pringle said: “I fully endorse The People’s Document that campaigners presented last week, and I want to credit the people who brought it forward. Homeowners affected by defective blocks have been left for far too long to carry the cost for this crisis that was not of their making.

“In The People’s Document, campaigners outlined four principles behind a true 100% redress scheme that include seeing properties rebuilt like for like at no cost to homeowners and to current standards, an end-to-end scheme from the State with a self-build opt out available, and a scheme that leaves no one behind, with proper supports for people affected throughout the process.

“The fourth principle is prevention, and the document also details what they want to see to ensure this is never allowed to happen again, by putting in place proper standards, enforcement and accountability.

“The People’s Document calls for a range of actions to ensure prevention, including making all efforts to learn from the lessons this crisis has exposed, proper national standards informed by the latest international papers on defective concrete, ensuring all building products comply with appropriate EN standards and proper systems of governance that confirms compliance to those standards that are not reliant on self-regulation.

“It is vitally important that steps are taken to make sure this does not happen again.

“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are responsible for this problem through years of undermining the control process with light-touch regulation. The policies of successive governments that allowed the system to deteriorate have let everyone down.

“More than 1,000 people attended last week’s meeting on the document, which shows that this continues to be a very live issue in Donegal. Homeowners know what needs to be done – they have told the Government all along what needs to be done and Government hasn’t listened to them.

“It’s beyond time for Government to listen to homeowners and provide 100% redress and take steps to ensure this does not happen again. However, with the response this Government has shown so far, I don’t believe we will see any changes in policy until there is an election and a change in Government,” he said.