Aontú rep calls for meeting with government leaders on defective blocks issue

Donegal's Aontú representative has demanded that the county's TDs, senators and councillors meet with the three government party leaders, the finance minister and the housing minister, to promptly produce a scheme that deals with the horrific experience of victims of what she calls "this mica mayhem".

Mary T Sweeney has slammed what she described as the latest bout of 'Forgotten County Syndrome' afflicting the Dublin establishment.

She was speaking ahead of tomorrow's protest at the Donegal County Council headquarters in Lifford organised to highight the ongoing problems of the thousands of families affected by the defective block crisis here.

Ms Sweeney pointed out that in an interview with Darragh Ó Briain on Prime Time last Thursday, Miriam O’Callaghan stated that the building problem in Donegal had been dealt with and the Housing Minister noddingly agreed with her.

"The recent defective blocks conference in Letterkenny demonstrated the complete lack of interest of the Dublin authorities and construction industry in actually finding out what the problems are and their complete insensitivity to the victims.

"We in Donegal know the problem is far from solved and the authorities are still reluctant to produce a scheme that affected families can afford. We also know that they do not have the personnel to deal with applications from a properly simplified process--never mind the monster they have created.

"Over and beyond the issue of a victim-appropriate scheme, it appears the authorities have absolutely no practical plan to deliver the project. There is no plan for temporary accommodation for families who have to move out of their homes.

"There is already a shortage of necessary skills and labour, and the government contractual conditions are designed to discourage builders from taking on the work.

"And if everything seems all so rosy to those in Dublin 4, why is the Defective Blocks Action Group still planning to take action again outside the county council meeting in Lifford?

"This demonstration at Lifford tomorrow is necessary because the council has not carried out one of its minimum duties to the people of Donegal: to scope out the extent of the work and publish how many extra staff, both locally and centrally, are required to process applications without delay; the amount of temporary accommodation required and an initial estimate of the probable total labour demand.

"With a few honourable exceptions, our own public representatives have not shouted loud enough on this issue. The squeaky wheel always gets the most oil. We in Donegal Aontú demand that Donegal’s councillors, senators and TDs insist on meeting, before Christmas, the three government party leaders, the finance minister and housing minister, to promptly produce a scheme that deals with the horrific experience of victims of this mica mayhem and their obviously genuine needs.”