Rose Conway-Walsh presses for defective concrete block legislation
Rose Conway-Walsh challenged the minister over delays to the defective concrete block legislation, saying homeowners remain unable to access updated grant rates and extended completion timeframes retrospectively. She demanded the bill be brought to the floor immediately and said opposition members would act swiftly to secure its passage once it appears.
Persistent delays in bringing legislation to the floor
She said the issue has been raised each week for three weeks, noting that her colleague Parikh McLaughlin repeatedly requests the legislation during the weekly programme and that it has not been scheduled for debate.
Homeowners left in limbo over grants and timeframes
She said homeowners are still waiting for the updated grant rates and the increased timeframe for completion to be applied retrospectively to all applicants, calling the situation unacceptable and saying the position was clear since June.
Opposition pledge to expedite passage
She told the House that opposition members would "move heaven and earth" to ensure the legislation goes through quickly when it comes before the floor, adding that they have "waited far, far too long" for action.
Government response and next steps
The minister replied that Deputy Ward had raised the issue last week and that the legislation is on the priority list for publication. He said the measure has been worked on, that the Chief Whip described it as not simple, and that he would speak to Minister Brown, who "appreciates the urgency" and that the legislation should be forthcoming.
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Minister, I want to talk to you about the defective concrete block legislation once again. Every single week, we're back three weeks now, and each week I look at the programme for the week. I know each week my colleague, Parikh McLaughlin, asks for the legislation to come before us here to the House to be able to deal with it. We're in the situation where homeowners are still waiting for the updated grant rates and the increased timeframe for completion to be applicable retrospectively to all applicants. It is not acceptable. We showed them back in June. We said exactly what needed to be done to bring this legislation to the floor. Homeowners are stuck in this limbo where they cannot get the increased rates. I hope the whip behind you has some answers in this, maybe that it's going to come. We absolutely need this to be brought to the floor, and us in the opposition, and I know that goes across all opposition parties, will move heaven and earth once it comes on the floor at all to make sure that it goes through really quickly. We have waited far, far too long for this legislation. Thank you very much, Deputy. In fact, Deputy Ward raised this issue last week with me, and I answered him by stating that it is on the priority list for publication. It is important legislation from the Government's point of view. It has been worked upon. I am informed by the Chief Whip that it is not as simple as can be presented. But I will certainly speak to Minister Brown in respect of it. He appreciates the urgency of it, and since it is on the priority list for publication, I think it should be forthcoming.
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