Donegal County Council now has 1,000 applications pending at the first stage of the Mica Redress Scheme.
As the council waits on government to introduce the revised scheme, householders are in limbo with only 14 properties fully repaired under the scheme so far.
A new update from the council shows that, of the 1,000 applicants at stage one, just 372 have been approved as eligible and 636 are awaiting further information or are being assessed.
There are 106 applications at the second stage (grant approval), with 66 applications approved at stage two.
A further 103 applicants have commenced remedial works under Stage 3.
The council reports that one application has received a payment for essential repairs so far.
Letterkenny Councillor Gerry McMonagle said the process is far too slow. He said that his heart goes out to the families waiting. Speaking at yesterday’s Letterkenny-Milford MD meeting, he asked if the applicants’ housing needs have been assessed.
“When this scheme does kick into place you start to get into demolition and where are those people going to go?
“All the holiday homes and hotels and all being taken up by refugees,” Cllr McMonagle said.
He urged the council to begin preparing temporary housing for Mica families now and suggested modular homes as a solution.
“I can’t see the problem in modular homes or large mobile homes. We can waive planning rules and regulations when it suits to turn vacant properties into accommodation places,” Cllr McMonagle said.
Cllr McMonagle reminded the council that homes are cracking and deteriorating while applicants wait on the scheme.
“We need a bit more pressure on the department, they have all been up here and seen it.”
