Mica 'One Home - One Scheme' flawed - Cllrs claim.

The 'One Home – One Grant' aspect of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme (DCBGS) or Mica Redress Scheme has been heavily criticised.

The online meeting of Donegal County Council's Mica Redress Committee, which took place on Friday (June 11), heard calls for a State Backed Guarantee Scheme for houses repaired under the DCBGS.

Cllr Albert Doherty (Sinn Féin) Cllr Gerry McMonagle (Sinn Féin) and Cllr Frank McBrearty (Independent), as well as Michael Doherty (Mica Action Group's PRO) highlighted the need for such a guarantee.

Cllr Albert Doherty said Cllr McBrearty's account of the family in Raphoe, whose home was visited by An Taoiseach Micheál Martin last Thursday, demonstrated 'One Home – One Grant' was “evidently flawed”.

It has been widely reported in the media, the family in question had repaired the outer leaf of their home, at their own expense, which was now showing signs of further cracking.

Cllr Doherty said: “Seeing was believing for An Taoiseach yesterday. The 'One Home – One Grant' is evidently flawed, with the homeowner and their family most affected.

“The State was involved and profoundly failed our homeowners, now the State must step up.

“Unfortunately but importantly, the remedial option prescription of demolishing the entire dwelling to foundation level and rebuilding it, is the only way you would be ensured the muscovite mica has been eradicated.

“There may be a hesitancy around Options 2, 3, 4, and 5, because of the present regulations on engineers to fully sign off.

“That is where the State Guarantee Scheme can play a significant role in gaining the trust of the engineers and encouraging them to sign off on repairs. A State backed guarantee scheme is crucially important.”

Michael Doherty said he had spoken to several engineers about homes undergoing outer leaf repairs only.
He said: “One engineer told me he had sent a letter to his clients, regarding what a homeowner is left with following outer leaf repairs.

“Are you left with a home that is well below market value because it is a mica home and only a partially fixed mica home?

“Will lenders lend against a home that still has a known latent defect in the blocks because the [outer leaf and inner leaf blocks] came off the same lorry? Are you into a situation where homeowners can't get insurance for houses?

“MAG put this point very strongly to An Taoiseach [on Thursday] and we made the point we need to be in a situation, if we are going to insist on repaired homes for economic reasons, that there needs to be a State backed guarantee scheme.

“This means, if anything goes wrong in the future, homeowners are not trying to hunt down the engineer that signed off, or so called signed off, and is depending on his indemnity insurance.”

Mr Doherty said some people had “chased” the manufacturer of the defective concrete blocks the last time.
He added: “We do not want to be left with another nightmare of chasing the engineers that signed off the houses.

“It needs to be a State backed guarantee scheme. Only then is there any credibility, only then have you got market value restored, or as close as possible on the house.

“Only then do you have insurance possible again because the mica aspect can be covered by the state.

“And, only then have you got mortgage companies that will be prepared to lend against the home. That assurance is needed and nothing less than a State backed guarantee scheme will suffice.

“It is either that or take the homes down and rebuild them and get rid of every mica block, in the county, which is a massive undertaking. Ideally that is what you want but if that's not economically feasible, then, at least, we need a minimum a State backed guarantee scheme.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said on Monday he was considering such a scheme, in relation to the mica issue.