Families in homes affected by MICA put forward a clear and urgent case for redress in a meeting with Junior Housing Minister Damien English last night.
Hundreds of people attended a public demonstration in Carndonagh PSC to call for redress and assurance that their homes can be saved.
The MICA Action Group highlighted the severity of the defective blocks which could cause homes to collapse with a hard-hitting sign saying “Does someone need to die?”.
MICA Meeting at Carndonagh PSC. Image via Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn
Children joined the outside demonstration, chanting ‘Redress, Redress’, while letters from children in MICA affected homes were due to be presented to the Minister. Many other people from the local community came out in a show of solidarity with the families.
The MICA Action Group and public representatives put forward details of the crisis to Minister English. They told how one local family has been warned they must leave their home immediately – the first family to face losing their homes before Christmas.
The group warned the Minister that the issue is only going to get worse by the day. More and more homes will be condemned and more families will face homelessness, they said.
They asked the Minister to speed up the redress process to allow affected homeowners to get their homes repaired or rebuilt. They said they are seeking reimbursement for those who have already paid out for repairs to their homes, and they are calling on the government to communicate with the banks and mortgage providers on the issue.
Following the meeting Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said, “The campaigning families and public representatives present left the Minister in no doubt as to the need for a Redress Scheme so that homes can be made safe.”
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