Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the extremely distressing and difficult situations that certain homeowners in Donegal are facing on account of damage to the structural integrity of their homes. I also add that I firmly believe that the parties responsible for poor workmanship and-or the supply of defective materials should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected homeowners.

It was against this background that my Department met a number of private homeowners in early December 2014. At that meeting, my Department requested the affected homeowners to make available copies of any technical reports that they may have commissioned from test laboratories on the affected concrete blocks in their homes. The provision of this information would provide my Department with an invaluable and scientific insight into the problems that have emerged in north Donegal.

In addition, as Deputy Mac Lochlainn stated, on the invite of my colleague, the Minister of State for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Joe McHugh, I visited a number of the affected homes in late February of this year to witness first-hand the damage to the homes and the real difficulties the homeowners and their families have to live with on a daily basis. Following that visit, copies of the requested test reports were provided to my Department and have now been reviewed.

From the test reports and information provided from other sources, the Department understands that problems mostly affect buildings constructed during the period 1999 - 2008, although at least one dwelling pre-dated this timeframe. There would appear to be a number of causes suggested for the alleged problems in the blocks such as low cement content, high moisture-low cement ratio, an abundance of mica, low density, low compressive strength and porosity.

My Department understands that over 170 houses have been surveyed by homeowners and are confirmed as having problems in the block work. The Mica Action Group, which represents many of the affected homeowners, is of the view that there may be other housing schemes which have not yet discovered or reported problems with the block work in these homes.

Furthermore, and as the Deputy has referred to, I understand that Donegal County Council commissioned consulting engineers to carry out sample investigations into cracking to external walls in a sample of local authority dwellings in a number of separate locations across the county. The results of these investigations will inform what further research and-or remedial works are required to the local authority dwellings.

In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, that is, the homeowner, the builder, the materials provider and-or their respective insurers. In the event that the parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation, the option of seeking redress in the courts can be considered.

My Department understands that legal proceedings may have been instigated in some of the cases relating to this problem. This is the appropriate course of action in the event that the responsible parties, that is, the builder, the supplier and-or their insurers, do not face up to their responsibilities and provide a solution for the affected homeowners.

Notwithstanding the general position, a technical report has been prepared for me on my instruction and that is something I am currently considering. I also understand that the local authority will work closely with the tenants and elected members in terms of implementing any remedial works that may be required to its social housing stock.

We are not reinventing the wheel. The establishment of an independent panel is being considered. However, Sinn Féin is surely not suggesting that every building defect around the country should be resolved by the taxpayer. We need to be careful. The pyrite scheme to which the Deputy refers is a scheme of last resort.

This is a matter of concern to me and something I will consider very closely with a view to making a decision shortly.

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