Press Release June 14 2016
HUGE SURGE IN HOMEOWNERS AFFECTED BY DEFECTIVE BLOCKS COMING FORWARD FOLLOWING PRIMETIME EXPOSÉ
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday June 14th 2016
There has been a huge increase in homeowners making contact with the Mica Action Group following RTE Primetime’s exposé ‘Bad Blocks’ on homes built with defective blocks which aired on May 31st.
Phil Mc Daid, Chairman Mica Action Group said:
“In the 2 weeks since the programme aired, the number of homeowners making contact indicating they believe they are also affected, has increased by approximately 25% to around 350. The numbers are continuing to rise on a daily basis and come from homeowners across the county.
“A large number of homeowners sat down to watch the programme with their families and contacted us afterwards to say that the programme had prompted them to inspect their homes and led them to realise that they too are also affected by defective blocks. The dedicated phone number and email for the group has never been busier.
“The programme highlighted serious shortcomings in the manufacturing, regulation and inspection of concrete block production in Ireland and clarified that blocks delivered on to the market over many years, were not suitable for purpose having low cement content, high levels of mica and high water content, resulting in low block strength, high friability and high susceptibility to freeze-thaw action. Anyone who watched the programme has seen the results – some homes now abandoned, insurance withdrawn, cannot be sold and have no value. This is not to mention the attendant issues – anxiety, stress, hopelessness, depression, anger and feelings of having been let down by the providers of the materials, the council, regulatory bodies, mortgage provides and the government.
“Homeowners from both private and council housing stock are coming forward and are expressing their fear and anger and questioning how this could happen to them. Social housing tenants are very concerned about health and safety issues and are concerned that as outlined in the programme, their home may be in danger of imminent collapse. They have expressed their anger and frustration at the lack of any communication from Donegal County Council in this regard. Other council tenants have contacted the group and expressed their shock that they have recently received offers to buy their homes under the Incremental Purchase scheme in estates which are clearly affected by this issue with no mention of this issue being made in these offers to purchase.
“The Mica Action Group would like to ask Donegal County Council to review this Incremental Purchase scheme in light of these revelations. We would call on them to review this offer to purchase, made to tenants in affected estates. Would they consider the sale of potentially defective houses to be ethical in light of the clear evidence which found a large number of Donegal County Council’s social housing stock to be affected? The Mica Action Group calls on the council to release information on all of their housing stock, they deem to be affected, to the public so that potential buyers are fully informed. We will also continue to seek further clarification on the Mica issue from Donegal County Council over the coming weeks/months.
Phil Mc Daid continued:
“The Mica Action Group will continue to seek redress for all affected homeowners and are actively engaged with the Government appointed independent panel on this issue and look forward to meeting with Minister Damien English next week when he visits the county to reiterate this call for redress and to convey the desperate situation homeowners across the county are facing.
If you think you are affected please register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9KPFQKM or contact the Mica Action Group on www.facebook.com/Micaactiongroup.
For further information please contact The Mica Action Group on micaactiongroup@outlook.ie or by telephone on 086 8648888. Media enquiries to Eileen Doherty, Mica Action Group on 087 2910106/ email eileendoherty1972@gmail.com or Phil Mc Daid, Mica Action Group on 0860530558.
