Unequal treatment for Donegal homes

Mica campaigner Roisin Gallagher has said the Government’s announcement last week of a redress scheme for defective apartments in Dublin comes with far fewer exclusions and conditions and amounts to ‘blatant discrimination’ against mica homeowners in Donegal.

“There’s no denying that we’re being treated differently, and that’s made people angry,” she said.

The Government plan offers 100% redress to the owners of around 100,000 damaged apartments,

“People have been in disbelief since that announcement came out last week and can’t understand why we’re being treated so unfairly and have to fight so hard to get help.

“It’s put new fire in all our bellies.

“People don’t have to be permanent residents to access that scheme,” Roisin said. “You can own several apartments and get them all fixed. You can live in the Bahamas and get full redress for your apartment, whereas we don’t get that.

“Redress is limited to primary residents only in Donegal, and that stipulation has caused serious distress.”

Ms Gallagher acknowledged that the costs of repair may run higher in Donegal than in Dublin, but said 100% redress means 100% redress.

“Our problems may be bigger than those of the apartments, but that’s not our fault.

“The people in Dublin rightly deserve what they’re getting.

“The fact that the average costs of repair in Dublin is €25,000 is irrelevant.

“There is no cap on their scheme either, the work will be done regardless of the cost.

“They’re also getting allowances for work they’ve already done, which isn’t available to us here in Donegal.”

A meeting will be held this Thursday in the Sliabh Sneacht Centre, Drumfries, at 7pm seeking volunteers to help with the defective concrete homes campaign. A second meeting will be held on Thursday 2 February at the Station House in Letterkenny.