Donegal County Council warned ‘gloves are off’ over ‘humanitarian crisis’ - Paddy Diver

Mica redress campaigner Paddy Diver has called on Donegal County Council to hold a public meeting over what he has called the humanitarian crisis facing homeowners living in houses suffering from defective blocks.

Mr Diver has warned the council that the 100% Redress No Less group will escalate its campaign if the council fails to hold a meeting over the issues facing homeowners who have requested emergency accommodation due to the condition of their homes.

He says the group is particularly concerned about at least ten cases that were brought to the attention of the council over eight months ago but have failed to be dealt with adequately.

The group is demanding alternative accommodation including modular homes for families affected by defective blocks.

“I am angry, frustrated and disgusted at these stories,” he said. “I don’t know how to put it into words how shocked I am at this whole situation.

“I am angry at the leaders in the council that we don't have modular homes to help at least some of these families. The council has known about these cases long enough.”

His comments come as the Mica Action Group rounded on the Government and the local authority for allowing homeowners to become “collateral damage” due to the “intransient, unempathetic and lackadaisical way” in which the redress scheme is being handled.

Mr Diver said homeowners that sought emergency accommodation last winter are facing another winter in the same homes after having been given hope they would be accommodated. He said in some of the cases council officials have not even visited the homes.

“We have been failed by Donegal County Council and we see it at first hand. Enough is enough and the gloves are off,” he said.

“I want the council to hold a public meeting and explain why there are no modular homes today and explain where we are in this scheme.”

He said the homeowners affected have been left with no hope.

“I am years away from being in that position but today it is those people and tomorrow it could be an old aged pensioner. We have to start fighting for these people. There are children in those houses who are supposed to be looking forward to Santa Claus but they are not. It is totally wrong and the public needs to pull together.”

He also warned that any attempts to supply modular homes to refugees or asylum seekers in the county will be met with protests.

He said his “heart goes out” to Ukrainians who have fled to Donegal and the group has no issue with refugees being housed in emergency accommodation such as hotels in the county. But Donegal is housing more refugees than many other counties and priority must be given to mica-affected homeowners, he said.

“There has to be modular homes provided [for mica-affected homeowners]. They have been talking about it for four years.”

Mr Diver warned that the number of people needing emergency accommodation could grow this winter and accused the council “of a lack of leadership”.

“It is not good enough what they are doing and they must realise that themselves.”

The council should pass the issue over to the Department of Housing if it is not capable of dealing with it, he added.

The council has admitted that providing accommodation for families whose homes are undergoing remediation through the defective concrete blocks scheme has been “a significant challenge”.

A council mica redress committee meeting was told in July that conversations with a number of modular home suppliers have not progressed well.

Mr Diver said at least one provider of modular homes he has spoken to says it could provide a three-bedroom home for €85,000 in around two months from order.