'These homes have been downgraded based on a flawed standard which is ridiculous'

The 100% Redress Party is calling for the immediate replacement of the standard IS465 which is incorrectly being used currently to assess homes affected by defective concrete products.

The party’s four councillors - Tomas Sean Devine (Letterkenny), Ali Farren (Carndonagh), Joy Beard (Buncrana) and Denis McGee (Glenties) - have met with scientists and researchers who are unanimous in their conclusion - based on the scientific evidence - that the cause of the cracking and crumbling of homes in Donegal is due to an internal sulfate attack.

The party’s representatives say that the facts can no longer be ignored, especially when the appeals process into downgraded remediation options is due to take place, which will decide the final fate of these homes which have been assessed by the Housing Agency using the current flawed IS465 standard.

The party is concerned that the appeals process is more of a procedural undertaking for the Housing Agency’s engineers and decisions on remediation will not be overturned.

“The review of IS465 must happen before these decisions are made by the appeals panel. These homes have been downgraded based on a flawed standard which is ridiculous,” Councillor Joy Beard said. “The standard IS465 is not fit for purpose just like the concrete used to build our homes.”

The 100% Redress Party’s councillors have been corresponding with the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, Central Bank and other stakeholders to get clarification on the mortgageability of remediated homes.

As it stands, it’s doubtful if engineers will sign off on remediated properties. Engineers Ireland have also said that IS465 is not fit for purpose. Without engineers confirming the property is
structurally sound the likelihood is that remediated homes will be unmortgageable leaving homeowners’ futures up in the air as they will never be able to sell their property.

“These homes need to be treated like every other home in the country and must be insurable and mortgagable,” Councillor Tomas Sean Devine said. It appears anything other than full demolition and rebuild will guarantee that. The science is there and the only people not listening to the facts is the government. Thousands of affected properties remain on the bank’s books at full market value whereas currently, they are only worth the land they sit on.”