Donegal Mica houses: Government will 'do all it can'
- Published
'The house is crumbling to pieces'
The government will "do everything it can" to help people whose homes have crumbled because of mica, the taoiseach (Irish PM) has said.
Micheál Martin was speaking before Irish MPs voted to adopt a Sinn Féin motion calling for homeowners to get 100% redress.
He said what had happened to people's homes was "scandalous and devastating".
Earlier on Tuesday, thousands of people protested in Dublin demanding an expansion of the current repair scheme.
Thousands of homes and buildings, primarily in counties Donegal and Mayo, have been damaged because of blocks containing high levels of the mineral mica.
It absorbs water, which can cause walls to crack and begin to crumble.
It is estimated more than 5,700 homes in Donegal and Mayo are affected by the faulty concrete blocks.
Mica absorbs water which can lead to walls cracking
The taoiseach said everyone wanted to do the right thing but compensating homeowners was complicated because of the range of issues they faced.
Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien would now take a fresh look at the existing scheme, Mr Martin added, to see how it could be improved.
Earlier on Tuesday crowds gathered outside the convention centre in Dublin where the Dáil (lower house of the Irish parliament) is currently sitting due to the pandemic, before protesters marched to Leinster House - the normal home of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament).
In 2016 an expert panel was set up to investigate problems with homes affected by mica and another mineral, pyrite.
That followed years of campaigning by an action group and led, in 2019, to the Irish government approving a €20m (£17.2m) repair scheme.
But many homeowners now say the scheme is not fit for purpose.
Under the scheme, eligible homeowners must pay for 10% of repairs, plus any outstanding mortgage payments on the home, with the government covering 90% of the cost.
Protesters have called for the Irish government to fully compensate mica-affected home owners, and want 100% redress like that awarded to Dublin homeowners in the pyrite remediation scheme.
About a third of people applying to the mica redress scheme have been told their homes may have to be demolished.
Crowds gathered in Dublin to protest about a financial scheme set up to help homeowners affected by defective blocks
Paddy Diver's home in Carndonagh, County Donegal, is one of those scheduled to be demolished.
"People can't take it any more, old-aged pensioners can't take it any more, people's mental health is being affected," he told BBC Radio Foyle.
"I have got to the end of my tether with this, it's an absolute disgrace what is going on," he said.
Many protesters held placards and wore T-shirts calling for 100% redress
Lisa Mills, who attended the demonstration with her six-year-old daughter Olivia, said it was shocking to see the number of people at the protest whose houses were affected.
"A lot of my friends are here with me, we live in a rural part of Donegal and there are just so many houses around there that are affected," she explained.
"We really hope the government listen. We will be homeless if they don't listen."
Discussions are ongoing between the housing minister, government officials, local authorities and action groups on the issue.
Mr O'Brien said he hoped to be in a position in the coming weeks to propose revisions to the current scheme.
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- Published23 May 2021
