'The Civil Service opposing everything' mica related - Inishowen Cathaoirleach Bernard McGuinness

Welcoming the public to Donegal County Council's ongoing Special Meeting on Mica, Inishowen Cathaoirleach, Councillor Bernard McGuinness (Fine Gael) said there was not any family in Inishowen not affected by Mica. 

Cllr McGuinness concurred with his party whip, Cllr Martin Harley, who confirmed Fine Gael stood for 100% Mica Redress.

Referencing earlier remarks by Cllr Frank McBrearty (Independent), Cllr McGuinness added: "I want also to state clearly I have full confidence in Cllr Martin McDermott (Fianna Fáil), the Chairperson of Donegal County Council's Mica Redress Committee. I don't think it was fair that anybody should cast any aspersions on Cllr McDermott. He has been very diligent. He has done tremendous work with the [Mica Redress] Committee. He has been available to all people, at all times. I want to acknowledge, the commitment that Martin has to the Mica issue as a public representative."

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The Culdaff councillor also acknowledged the Mica Action Group and its "tremendous dedication to their fellow man". 

Pulling no punches, Cllr McGuinness said the Civil Service had blocked the introduction of the initial Mica Redress Scheme. 

"The Mica Action Group and Joe McHugh TD delivered a 90% Redress Scheme, although it did not work out that way. Joe would be the first to tell you, the Civil Service opposed it right, left and centre and the Mica Action Group knows that too. We are looking for another 10% and we are having difficulty getting that. 90% did not work out at all because of Civil Service interventions. 

"Patsy Lafferty [Housing] and John Gallagher [Senior Engineer] of Donegal County Council have done tremendous work in dealing with that Civil Service. They are totally frustrated with that Civil Service. I have brought cases to them on humanitarian grounds and this has gone forward to the Civil Service and been rejected.

"Joe McHugh put a question down in the Dáil yesterday in relation to a case here in Inishowen and the Housing Minister assured him he would look into it immediately. The Civil service is opposing everything. It is putting obstacles in our way, even to the detriment of their elected peers,of all parties, who find it difficult to get around them. We have to find some means of bringing that to an end.

"I support an public Inquiry but I would ask those on social media to refrain from naming people and finding people guilty before a Public Inquiry has taken place. They are doing nothing for their cause. They are doing nothing for the Mica Action Group's cause. They are doing nothing for the cause of the people who are in most need. Anybody can name anybody, pick on weaknesses or anything, but that is not the way forward. We have to go forward with one thing in mind, 100% Mica Redress nothing else. 90% didn't work and the civil servants and the government should be told that and give us another 10%," said Cathaoirleach McGuinness.

Cllr McGuinness was referring to the fact some Donegal County Council officials had been named, a situation he described as "very, very unfair".

He said: "They are being accused of negligence and different things, without any evidence to support that. Remember every man and woman working for Donegal County Council has a family and some have children Is that the way to treat your neighbour? I don't think it is. 

"We have a housing crisis in Donegal and we need a plan going forward, for private home owners and Council tenants.

"We want to get this 100% redress Scheme over the line. Who is blocking it? The Civil Service. The Civil Service should not be dragging its feet or holding things back.

"It should not take a Dáil question to get the Housing Minister to commit to looking after a family on humanitarian grounds and that's what I'll support as long as I am a member of Donegal County Council," concluded Cathaoirleach McGuinness.