Donegal Minister Charlie McConalogue has spoken out against Sinn Féin and their action on Defective Concrete Blocks in the North.
Minister McConalogue was hitting back at criticism by Sinn Féin in the Dáil this week of the Government’s commitment to delivering the Defective Concrete Block Scheme.
“The Government’s commitment to delivering for affected homeowners stands in stark contrast to the empty promises of Sinn Féin,” the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine said.
McConalogue said the opposition party has made a “total failure to commit any support to homeowners in Northern Ireland where they are now in Government.”
While acknowledging that the government’s enhanced scheme “is not perfect”, he said that it is being adapted to new issues.
“A decision is also expected at Cabinet shortly that will see payments per square foot increase and the maximum cap go up by 10%, bringing the overall cap to €462,000. This will mean that along with the SEAI energy upgrade grants, the total maximum funding available for rebuilding a home will rise to €499,550. The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, has also said that the increase is planned to apply retrospectively to homeowners already in the scheme,” he said.
Speaking out against Sinn Féin, he said: “Sinn Féin first promised to publish their own alternative Defective Concrete Block Scheme legislation in the summer of 2022, but then failed to do so. They again promised to publish legislation in summer 2023 but again failed to follow through.
“When invited by the Government to submit their proposals on the development of the new scheme’s regulations, they simply didn’t reply. Then at the most recent meeting organised by defective concrete homeowners in Buncrana, they disclosed that they would only commit if in Government to funding remediation of principal private residences and one rental property – eligibility the Cabinet has already provided for in the Government’s new scheme.”
Leaflets issued to Donegal homeowners this weekend from Sinn Féin say that they are giving a “clear commitment that if we are in government we will deliver a genuine 100% Redress Scheme. Delivered by the State, from start to finish, rather than a grant scheme, for all homeowners living in their primary principal residence and for landlords with one property.”
The party states they will “also explore the inclusion in the scheme of others who up until now have been left behind.”
Minister McConalogue said that Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland provides “no commitment at all to provide support to homeowners, despite some having already had to commence remediation works on homes with zero financial support.”
“In contrast to Sinn Féin, this Government is fully committed to continuing the work underway and to ensuring that families can avail of the support needed to have their homes remediated under the Defective Concrete Block Scheme.”
