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Dáil
‹ Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

Donegal council house purchase

Summary

Deputy Pringle raised concerns about Donegal County Council buying five mica-affected houses and about another long-delayed report on the Minister’s desk. The Tánaiste said he had no details to hand but would raise the matter with the relevant Ministers.

In yesterday's Irish Examiner, Aoife-Grace Moore reported on the continuing controversy surrounding Donegal County Council's acquisition of five houses that, as the council's engineer stated in writing prior to the purchase approval, have mica and will require significant remedial work. At the crux of the matter is openness, transparency and accountability and whether proper procedures and due diligence were followed.

This is not the only murky cloud hanging over Donegal County Council. The Mulcahy report, which was commissioned in 2015, has been gathering dust on the Minister's desk for over five years. Members of this House, including, ironically, the Minister, have called for its publication more than 40 times but to no avail. I have asked more than 35 parliamentary questions and submitted two freedom of information requests on the mica issue during this Dáil term. The standard of reply to most of those has left much to be desired.

The veil of secrecy surrounding mica and planning matters in Donegal is destroying trust in public administration in the county. Will the Tánaiste commit to publishing the Mulcahy report in full and urging his fellow Minister to embrace a culture of openness?

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Leo Varadkar The Tánaiste Fine Gael

I am afraid that I do not have any information to hand on that matter but it appears to be very serious so I will raise it with the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and ask them to revert to the Deputy directly.

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