Scepticism over proposal to increase defective concrete block scheme cap

Defective blocks campaigners have reacted with scepticism to a proposed 10% increase in the cap for the defective concrete block scheme. 

Donegal TD and agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue confirmed that housing minister Darragh O’Brien is to increase the cap under the remediation scheme to €462,000.

The absence of retrospective application of the increase has in particular caused concern for campaigners.

Paddy Diver of 100% Redress No Less said it is not clear when the revised cap will be implemented, adding that “apparently there  are no plans for any retrospective application”.

“Government has clearly stated early  movers will not be disadvantaged – but a failure to apply the revisions retrospectively will be doing the  exact opposite - penalising those who had no choice but to rebuild.”

Campaigner Michael Doherty said the Government “must not U-turn on their early mover policy - the precedence of  applying scheme enhancements retrospectively”.

“This was designed by the Government to ensure desperate  homeowners didn't hold off on work in the hope of future increases to rates and caps to help lessen  financial shortfalls, tens of thousands of euros in many cases, as opposed to living in condemned homes  hoping for affordability sometime in the future.”

Chair of Mica Action Group Lisa Hone said “There is also growing unease that yet again we have an Attorney General becoming involved in  ministerial decisions”.

“We know from recent reports by The Ditch that former AG Paul Gallagher went  well beyond his legal brief in his recommendations to Minister Darragh O’Brien.

The legalities of these  change mechanisms have already been addressed prior to the enactment of the revised scheme in July  2022. The decisions around implementation are political, however there is a concern that the current AG  is becoming involved in how the revisions to the cap and rates should be implemented.”

Roisin Gallagher of Redress Focus Groups said the campaign representatives have written to every councillor and TD in Donegal “to stand shoulder to shoulder with the affected homeowners and campaigners to fight  this injustice”. 

Angela Warren, PRO of the Mica Action Group (MAG) said “the government continues to do what they’ve always done and that is to kite fly.”

She said MAG has put questions to Paul Forde, chairperson of the experts group which advises the Minister. 

“We set out to him and in phone calls with homeowner liaison John O’Connor. No uncertain terms that there are very serious issues in relation to the operation of the DCB scheme which is leaving homeowners thousands of euros in debt or indeed preventing them from progressing through the scheme at all.”

“They believe the rates assigned to the scheme don’t reflect the reality that homeowners have been confronted with.”

Sinn Féin county councillor Jack Murray said homeowners who have carried out work 

will be punished if the increase is not retrospective.

“I’ve spoken to many people who have started work recently who are out tens of thousands of euros. They have been hit with increased construction costs and have exceeded the cap,” he said.

“They have desperately waited for the announcement of an increase in the hope that they could be saved from being burdened with unaffordable excesses.”

He said Donegal Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has written to Minister Darragh O'Brien asking for clarity and demanding that no one is left behind.