Data breach may have exposed details of almost 700 mica-affected homeowners

Personal information belonging to almost 700 mica-affected homeowners may have been compromised in a data breach affecting the computer systems of a consulting engineering firm used by the Housing Agency to assess applications under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme.
In response to questions from Donegal Live, the Housing Agency confirmed that files relating “to approximately 685 scheme applicants from Donegal” may have been affected by what it described as a “cyber incident” impacting the IT systems of Sligo-based engineering firm Jennings O'Donovan.
That figure represents just over 30% of all Donegal applications, based on the most recent Department of Housing data showing 2,198 submissions between June 2020 and the end of August 2025.

A further 176 applications from outside Donegal were also impacted by the data breach, the agency said, bringing the overall number to 861.

According to the Housing Agency, the data potentially affected includes applicants’ names, local authority reference numbers, contact details, and technical reports - including dwelling photographs.

However, it said that no financial or banking information was compromised.

Read more: Homeowners entitled to ‘complete transparency and clear, honest answers’ - TD Charles Ward

Jennings O’Donovan has worked with the Housing Agency’s framework panel since the enhanced defective blocks scheme began in July 2023.

Under the enhanced scheme, application assessments are carried out by private firms on behalf of the Housing Agency, rather than by Donegal County Council staff as had been the case under the original 90:10 scheme that operated from 2020-23.

The agency said it has contacted all applicants whose data may have been affected. “If applicants have not been contacted, they are not impacted by the cyber incident,” it added.
The agency also confirmed that its own IT systems were unaffected and that the issue appears to be isolated to the one engineering company.

A spokesperson for Jennings O’Donovan said the firm had experienced a network disruption involving “temporary unauthorised access to a limited part” of its IT system. The firm said it immediately responded to identify and isolate affected systems and investigate the breach alongside external specialists and “successfully mitigated the disruption”.

“Any personal financial information was stored securely on systems that have been unaffected by the disruption,” the spokesperson concluded, adding that it remains in contact with its clients and the relevant authorities.

Meanwhile, Donegal County Council’s online portal for mica homeowners was taken offline on Thursday, 23 October for “essential maintenance”.

The council has been asked by Donegallive whether this outage is connected to the cyber incident, which was first reported on Wednesday, 22 October, but has not yet responded.

The Housing Agency said no material delays to applications are expected as a result of the breach.

Homeowners can take some consolation from that, although they may be forgiven for expecting the usual lengthy wait times for processing payments.

Donegal County Council, and the Data Protection Commission have been contacted for comment.

Updated to add comments from Jennings O'Donovan spokesperson, and additional information from the Housing Agency quantifying the overall number of affected applicants across the State at 861.