Housing Minister urges Donegal people to report defects in apartments and duplexes

People in Donegal are being urged to share their experiences of housing defects relating to fire safety, structural safety and water ingress in purpose-built apartment and duplex buildings.

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD called on people to report their experiences in relation to such properties constructed in Donegal between 1991 and 2013.

These experiences are sought by the Independent Working Group to Examine Defects in Housing which was established by Minister O’Brien in February 2021.

Minister O’Brien was speaking following the publication by the working group of online survey portals for homeowners, landlords, directors of Owners’ Management Companies, and Property Management Agents

Views are sought from people regardless of whether such defects in those properties in Donegal are currently known, unknown or where no such defects have arisen.

Encouraging as many people as possible to participate in the survey, Minister O’Brien said: “Understanding the experiences of those directly affected by fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in apartment and duplex buildings constructed in Donegal between 1991 and 2013 will help us understand the scale  of the issue. We need to understand the full extent of legacy problems so that we can address them going forward.

“I encourage all those who own or manage purpose-built apartments or duplex buildings constructed in Donegal between 1991 and 2013, to complete these surveys – whether the property in question has defects or not, or if the presence of defects is not known.”

Acknowledging the Working Group’s work to date, the Minister added: “I look forward to receiving the Working Group’s report later this year and will give it my full consideration.”

The working group will use the survey information to inform its report to the Minister with particular regard to the following:

- the nature and scale of the issue of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects

- the difficulties that arise following the discovery of these defects

- the costs and levies associated with the remediation of the defects

Separate surveys for each stakeholder group are available at https://www.gov.ie/en/ consultation/7e319-online- survey-in-relation-to-defects- in-apartment-and-duplex- buildings/

The deadline for completing the surveys is Monday, March 14.