Donegal TDs Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Pearse Doherty have said that the updated defective concrete block remediation scheme that opened yesterday will leave many homeowners behind.
The scheme was opened earlier this week by Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien.
But Donegal’s two Sinn Fein TDs say it does not provide the 100% redress demanded all along by the victims of this scandal.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn said “Like its predecessor, the government’s defective concrete block remediation scheme does not provide 100% redress as the victims of this scandal have rightly demanded.
“It does not provide retrospective redress. It does not include foundations impacted by pyrrhotite, and the flawed industry standard underpinning the original scheme – IS 465 – remains.
“This standard has been undermined by the emerging scientific evidence and has resulted in many applications for funding being stalled. It is likely that this will now continue.
“The damage threshold cannot be used as a barrier to access the scheme.
“Sinn Féin will study the details of the regulations over the coming days and closely monitor the implementation of the scheme.”
Deputy Doherty added “The legislation underpinning the updated scheme was flawed. It was rushed through the Oireachtas in June last year and no less than 80 amendments proposed by affected homeowners were rejected by this government.
“Despite a clear promise by Minister O’Brien that the revised scheme would be open by the end of last year, it has also taken them a full year to get the scheme working. This is not good enough.
“While the changes to the scheme will no doubt provide relief for some affected homeowners, we believe that it will leave many homeowners and tenants behind and have drastic consequences.
“Sinn Féin remains convinced that the flaws in the underlying legislation must be addressed to ensure that no homeowner or tenant is left behind.
“We will be publishing amending legislation over the Summer – following consultation with affected homeowners – to address these very serious concerns.”