The Mica Action Group has issued a stark reminder to the government that this is their last chance to deliver on a fair redress scheme.
Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is due to bring the memo and bill for the enhanced scheme to Cabinet next Tuesday, June 14. The legislation will have full publication the following Tuesday. At this juncture, campaigners expect government to attempt to waive pre-legislative scrutiny of the bill.
“We have asked that that absolutely does not happen, we feel it is critical based on our experiences to date,” said Mica Action Group PRO Michael Doherty.
Doherty is calling on all homeowners to make their voices heard by signing a petition seeking assurance that pre-legislative scrutiny will be done.
“This is as important as walking in Dublin,” Doherty said, calling on all members of MAG and the 100% Redress Facebook community to get behind them.
Doherty also warned that the government risks losing a huge portion of voters if the scheme does not deliver this time.
“What we need is our homes fixed and a fair deal, if the government can’t do it we have to give others a chance,” he said.
He said the group will be focusing on the 13 out of 15 TDs that spoke up for 100% redress prior to the enhanced scheme, urging them to put their people before their party to convince leaders to “do the right thing”.
Doherty reminded politicians that they are “on notice” since the 8th of October and “we’ll have no more faith in this government if they don’t deliver right this time.”
In a weekly update to Mica homeowners, he welcomed the return of Paddy Diver to the campaign. The Carndonagh man took a step back from the Mica Action Group in March, but has returned to social media to demand pre-legislative scrutiny and an end to delays.
Doherty said that Diver will galvanise counties together again at a critically important time when defective blocks are now being found in the midlands and east of the country as well as in the west