Independent TD., Thomas Pringle.
Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle has pressed Government to commence the defective blocks act that was rushed though the Dáil last year but yet still ‘sits on the shelf’.
Addressing the Tánaiste in the Dáil today, Deputy Pringle said, “At the end of September, the Minister for Housing replied to a parliamentary question I put down in relation to the commencement of the Defective Blocks Act that, and I quote: ‘The aim and intention is to have the regulations and guidelines finalised before the end of the year with the scheme opening for applications as soon as possible thereafter, which I expect will only be a matter of weeks later.’
“You’ll remember that your government rammed this legislation through the Houses before the summer break without proper scrutiny and with claims of great urgency. Yet it still sits on the shelf uncommenced.
“But the Minister and Department has form in this area. Over the last 10 years the Department has left sitting 450 sections out of 19 separate acts uncommenced,” he said.
The deputy raised the issue today during questions on policy or legislation.
Deputy Pringle said: “My constituents in Donegal are at their wits’ end with your continued failures and delays. So Tánaiste, can you update the House as to the new timeline for the commencement of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022?”
In his response, the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, said he will talk to the minister and said it was his understanding that regulations would be ready very shortly.
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