Members of the Mica Action Group have made their ultimate call to the Minister for Housing to ‘do the right thing’ and deliver 100% redress.
Family representatives from Donegal and Mayo met with Minister Darragh O’Brien online this evening in the final meeting of the Defective Blocks Working Group.
RTE News reports from sources that the government is now considering granting compensation of up to around €350,000. Further upfront costs such as rent and storage may be claimed on top of this, according to reports.
Commenting after the meeting, Eileen Doherty PRO of MAG said that the Minister told homeowners that he could not preempt the final decision on the scheme. He acknowledged that the redress scheme ‘does not work as it stands’.
The final Working Group paper will be sent in draft form to family representatives tomorrow for review and sign off. While homeowners are asking for 100% redress, it is not yet known what recommendations will be made by officials in the group from the Department of Housing.
Minister O’Brien will then bring a memo to Cabinet on a compensation scheme in one-two weeks’ time.
More pressing matters, such as upfront costs and accommodation costs, were raised to the Minister this evening.
“We reminded him of the urgency of finding a solution to this issue as soon as possible due to the very dangerous situations families find themselves living in condemned and unsafe homes, with many not able to avail of the scheme,” Ms Doherty said.
Tonight’s meeting was MAG’s final call after months of representations on the Defective Blocks Working Group.
Ms Doherty told homeowners tonight: “I can speak for all the team when I say, that this has been a mammoth effort – not only by the team represented on the Working Group on behalf of the families, but also the many many other family members who are working behind the scenes; speaking to the media; active on Twitter; erecting signs and generally keeping this important issue in the public domain.
“We firmly believe that we have all done everything that we can to bring this issue front and centre and to urge all of our political representatives from across Government to do the right thing and to put an end to the pain and suffering of so many families and ensure a better future for all.”
Meanwhile, Mica families are planning a second major march in Dublin on October 8th if full redress is not promised.
