Councillors address Oireachtas members following protest over defective blocks

Donegal county councillors have addressed TDs and senators in Leinster House following a cross-party demonstration over the defective blocks crisis.

The cross-party protest on Tuesday was organised by the Mica Action Group and 100% Redress No Less to highlight what they say are major defects in the enhanced defective concrete blocks dress scheme.

Fine Gael county councillor Johnny McGuinness, Cllr Gerry McMonagle of Sinn Féin and Independent councillor Michael McBride addressed Oireachtas members in Leinster House following a midday protest outside.

Organisers said 18 of the council’s 37 councillors attended the demonstration with all the main groupings in the council represented. 

Among the concerns campaigners are highlighting is that the scheme does not provide a 100% restoration of the homes that have to be rebuilt, that it exposes homeowners to severe inflationary pressures, it expects homeowners to rebuild on untested foundations which may or may not be fit for purpose and it does not recognise additional issues faced by those dealing with serious illness, disability or old age.

Lisa Hone, chair of the Mica Action Group, said that while organisers would have preferred a full turnout of councillors, the demonstration was important as it showed the issues “go beyond party politics”.

“It is really down to every councillor and every local representative to push up through the party lines and up to Leinster House. If there were no issues with the scheme we would not be here,” she said.

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There are fundamental issues with the schemes that mean campaigners have to keep holding protests, she said.

“The word from the Government at the moment is that when the revised scheme goes operational, everything will be fine. And that's not just going to be the case.

“I just think it's extremely frustrating that we are still having to campaign so hard. The question I would ask the Government is; if the rates and regulations in the revised scheme are a panacea, why do homeowners feel that there are still so many outstanding issues that need to be rectified.”

Independent councillor Frank McBrearty Junior did not take up the invitation to attend the protest but said he supports “100% redress for all and a proper financial redress scheme that ensures that all property owners are given the correct engineering solution based on a full set of forensic test results that includes foundations”.

He has called for Donegal County Council to hold a public meeting on the draft defective concrete block regulations, which were published by the Department of Housing last week, as opposed to a behind-closed-doors workshop between councillors and council officials.