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Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has said it is “understandable” that Mica homeowner representatives on the Government working group might not sign off on the redress report.
The working group was set up this summer to examine the issue of redress following significant pressure on the Government and it comprises officials from the Department of Housing and representatives of affected homeowners.
Despite their membership on the group, the representatives say they have not received a copy of the final report on redress.
Eileen Doherty, campaigners’ representative and group member, warned that they may not sign off on it given the delays. She said multiple requests have been made to see the report.
Speaking on Wednesday morning, Mr O’Brien said the Government could offer extra time to examine the report.
“Let’s not underestimate the work that has gone in by the residents and indeed by my officials and officials from the housing agency as well. I would hope to get that report today, and if not today certainly tomorrow. They are working through it, they have been working with officials, we have had numerous meetings with them and as soon as I get the report I would expect we would be able give a presentation on that report today.”
On RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr O’Brien was asked about the campaigners’ statement that they may not sign off on the report until they have seen it.
“Absolutely, that is understandable. Whilst this is very important and urgent timewise we want to get it right. So if it requires an extra couple of days to give people a chance to go through and look at it that will absolutely be fine.”
Mr O’Brien said “nothing is off the table” when it comes to the Mica redress scheme. He said he was “absolutely committed” to improving the scheme. “I know how important this is. I want to help. This is a serious process.”Any scheme would “more than likely” require legislation, he added.
Mr O’Brien also said that the scheme was likely to require expansion and require the Housing Agency to handle it more efficiently, along with local authorities.
The scheme could cost taxpayers €1.5 billion. “That can’t be ignored,” said Mr O’Brien.
The Minister will meet the working group today and expects to bring a report to Cabinet as early as next week. He said he would brief the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan on Thursday.
“This is my number one priority.”
When asked if banks should be involved in the compensation scheme, Mr O’Brien said he expected various stakeholders to be involved and he had asked the Attorney General to examine what legal recourse the State had. But he believed that those directly responsible – the building sector, quarries and others have to make contributions.
There was no need for anyone else to pay into the compensation fund at this stage, the Government would do that, but he would be looking at other mechanisms. He acknowledged that others “may contribute” once legal recourse had been taken with those responsible.
Later on the same programme Brian Hayes of the Banking & Payments Federation said the responsibility for the Mica problem did not lie with banks. Banks had provided what assistance they could such as payment breaks, credit lines etc. “The question is who is responsible for this? Where does culpability lie?”