Mica Action Group announces new committee roles following AGM

The Mica Action Group has appointed new committee members to roles following it’s annual general meeting last month.

The appointments have been made following the AGM on September 19 at An Grianán Hotel in Burt which was attended by around 200 members.

Lisa Hone has been appointed the group’s chair and George Hill will serve as the vice-chair.

Róise Ní Laifeartaigh is the group’s new press relations officer after Michael Doherty stepped down from the committee.

Mary M McLaughlin has been appointed as treasurer and Tricia Sullivan has been appointed secretary. Michelle Diver will act as co-secretary and will head up the group’s media team.

The other committee members who were elected last month are Robin Hamill, Tommy Walsh and Gerry Hone. 

In a statement, the group said every member of the committee is either directly affected, or has a family affected by the defective block crisis, and in some cases both. 

“As such, the committee are extremely aware of the high degrees of frustration and difficult circumstances  homeowners are continuing to endure.” 

The group, which was formed in 2014 and has more than 3,000 members, said the key issues it will be focusing on are the unacceptable paralysis of the redress scheme, the lack of alternative housing for those needing to leave unsafe or unhealthy houses immediately and the provision of temporary accommodation during building work.

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The group said it will also be focusing on the lack of provision of practical and emotional support for those affected, the details of the regulations and roll-out of the revised scheme, the review of the IS465 protocol which is used to assess and categorise the damage in properties affected by defective blocks, homes that have been excluded from the redress scheme, the need for accountability via a public inquiry and the benefit of a  national defective concrete alliance given the extent of the issue across Ireland. 

Chair of the group Lisa Hone said the progress the group has made for the affected homeowners to date has been very hard-won by previous committee members.

“It is through that determination and resilience that we have made progress and the new committee is very, very committed to continuing in that vein. There are some really pressing issues and we really want to get some energy around those to try and affect change and we will deliver as much as we possibly can for people.”