Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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41. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline any considerations he and his Department have given to the issue of mica-affected homes in County Donegal; if he will outline his Department's advice on the way affected householders might be able to proceed in engaging with his Department on this issue; the financial supports there are for persons who find themselves in this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22324/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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In general, building defects are matters for resolution between contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier 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 have been instigated in some of the cases relating to this problem. Typically, there are no financial supports available from the State on the grounds that it is a matter for the parties responsible for the poor workmanship and/or the supply of defective materials to face up to their responsibilities and to take appropriate action to provide remedies to the affected homeowners.

I fully appreciate and acknowledge the extremely difficult and distressing situations that certain homeowners in Donegal are facing on account of damage to the structural integrity of their homes and, consequently, m y Department met with a number of the affected homeowners in early December 2014. At that meeting, my Department requested copies of test reports from accredited laboratories on the affected concrete blocks, which had been commissioned by a number of homeowners, in order to provide a robust and scientific insight into the problems that have emerged.

Following my visit earlier this year to a number of the affected homes, copies of the requested test reports were provided to my Department and have now been reviewed. A technical report has been prepared and is currently under consideration.