Mica homeowners have expressed disappointment and deflation over the details of the newly announced Redress Scheme.
A suprise clause in the €2.2 billion scheme announced yesterday was a varied square foot rate.
Homeowners will be entitled to €145 per square foot on the first 1,000 feet of their property, with the figure dropping to €110 per square foot for the second 1,000 feet and €100 per foot for the remainder.
This leaves a homeowner €65,000 short for the rebuild of an average 2,400 sq ft. home.
Mica Action Group PRO Michael Doherty says the sliding scale “needs smashed now.”
“We can’t ask a homeowner to find €65,000 when it was no fault to the homeowner in the first place,” he told RTE Drivetime.
This sliding scale was not communicated to homeowner representatives before yesterday’s announcement, Mr Doherty said.
“We thought we had a number, it wasn’t perfect at €145, when we needed a minimum €150, but it was certainly going the right way,” Mr Doherty said.
He said the sliding scale “took any good out of the day”.
MAG members have reported that the average cost of rebuilding a Mica-affected home is €150 per square foot. The figures are expected to be higher, as the estimated were obtained from an average of 43 houses which were approved under the old Mica scheme administered by Donegal County Council.
Under the revised scheme, for an average 2,400sq ft home in Donegal, a homeowner will receive €124 per sq. ft, €325,000 in total compensation from the Mica scheme and be short €65,000.
The Mica Action Group is now placing their hope in an upcoming review of the numbers by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland in February.
“This clause has to be removed. If this is requiring primary legislation, will be asking opposition parties to seek an amendment to remove that sliding scale because it’s not workable,” Mr Doherty said.
