Mica campaigners vow to attempt sit-in at council offices again on Friday

Homeowners have vowed to attempt a sit-in demonstration at the Donegal County Council offices in Carndonagh on Friday after the office was closed on Thursday ahead of a planned occupation.

The council confirmed that the public service centre and library in Carndonagh was closed on Thursday but did not give an explanation why.

Mica campaigner Paddy Diver announced the planned “civil disobedience” earlier this week as part of the campaign to have homeowners living in uninhabitable homes re-housed. He said homeowners intended to occupy the building overnight until they were satisfied that their demands would be met.

Campaigners have expressed frustration in recent weeks at the failure to provide emergency accommodation for the worst-affected cases and have called on the Government to release a €15,000 grant promised in the enhanced redress scheme.

The planned protest was to take place at noon on Thursday after campaigners said they were not satisfied with the outcome of a meeting between Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien and Donegal County Council on Wednesday.

The council in a statement described the meeting as constructive, saying the delegation highlighted concerns about a number of families who require immediate emergency assistance. It said the minister indicated that there “would be further engagement very shortly” regarding the families.

Mica campaigners postpone council office occupation

Redress campaigners were set to occupy Carndonagh Public Services Centre this afternoon

Mica Action Group chair Lisa Hone, who also met with the minister on Wednesday, said that despite a "willingness", no assurances were given.

“We need very, very definite solutions to where we are now. We can’t be left hanging”, she said.

Mr Diver said that the homeowners would attempt to hold the protest again on Friday and if that was not possible would take the planned sit-in to the council’s headquarters in Lifford.

“The reason we are doing this protest of civil disobedience is to prevent a tragedy of these people who are living in condemned homes, damp homes, mouldy homes,” he said.

 “We will be back tomorrow and we will be continuing our civil disobedience. We will be asking the public to come and support us tomorrow to get inside a government building so that these families can live in a safe home.”