Concern over delay in almost 600 applications to defective blocks scheme

Almost half of the applications received under the defective blocks redress scheme in Donegal are “awaiting further information or being assessed”, new figures show.

Of the 1,219 applications received, 623 have been approved at stage one with 595 paused for further information or assessment.

Figures released by Donegal County Council show 33 homes have been remediated under the redress scheme to a value of more than €4.4m.

The figures, which were presented to the April meeting of Inishowen Municipal District, show 90 of the 140 applications received at stage 2 of the scheme have been approved with 47 awaiting further information or being assessed.

Twenty advanced accommodation or storage cost payments have been to a value of €€395,250.00.

Sixty-three rebuild starts have been notified to the council with stage 3 payments made to 220 applications to a value of more than €6.1m.

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Sinn Féin councillor Albert Doherty said there are growing concerns from families on the progress of their applications with 49% not knowing where their applications are at.

He said while there has been progress on defective blocks with the employment of two community facilitators, there are “numerous concerns from families who have been left behind in relation to knowing where they are in the defective blocks application”.

These families don’t know “where they are going, when they are going and how they are going,” he said.

While he praised the work of the council staff on defective blocks, he said councillors “are being pressed for many, many answers”.

Cllr Doherty was told a meeting would be arranged with the community defective blocks facilitators to brief councillors.