Damien Mc Cauley demonstrates how weak the blocks are from his house built in 2006 . all the outer walls have to be replaced at his family home, and his family had to be moved out. Photo Brian McDaid
Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has submitted questions to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Simon Coveney asking him to amend the terms of reference for the expert panel on sub-standard building blocks.
The panel, chaired by former Director of Services with Waterford County Council, Mr Dennis McCarthy, is currently investigating the serious problems in the concrete blocks of homes across Donegal caused by muscovite mica.
Senator Mac Lochlainn’s request follows concerns aired by public representatives in the county last week about the limitations of the panel’ s investigatory powers following meetings with them.
The Sinn Féin representative said “I have today submitted questions to Minister Coveney about the scope of this panel to deliver a solution for the hundreds of families affected by mica defective blocks across Donegal.
One issue is that the current terms of reference do not allow the expert panel to investigate the impact of mica on publicly owned buildings such as council houses and schools. Donegal County Council have carried out tests on their council housing stock and unfortunately some of these tests have come back as positive for muscovite mica. This initiative driven by the locally elected representatives such as my colleague, Cllr Albert Doherty has been of immense importance in strengthening the case for all affected families across Donegal.
The expert panel needs to find solutions for all families, not some. There will also be real concerns about the safety of other publicly owned buildings such as schools”
He continued:
“I am also asking the Minister to clarify if the current terms of reference allow the expert panel to recommend a redress scheme similar to the Pyrite Redress Scheme, if that is the panel’s wish and allow them to recommend financial assistance to families already forced to carry out remedial works to ensure the safety of their family home.
These are vitally important matters. The establishment of this panel has been widely welcomed but it is now time for the Minister to ensure that it can actually provide real solutions for the hundreds of families devastated by this awful failure in State regulation”.
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