Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1468. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to meet with a delegation of Donegal county councillors on the issue of the impact of defective mica blocks on homes and families in the county as they have requested. [31813/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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. It was against this background that I met with a number of the affected homeowners earlier this year; my Department also met with a number of the affected homeowners in early December 2014.

At my Department’s request, copies of test reports on the affected concrete blocks, which had previously been commissioned by a number of homeowners, were made available to my Department in order to provide a more detailed and scientific insight into the problems that have emerged in Donegal. A technical report has been prepared for my consideration and I intend to complete my consideration of this matter shortly. In this context, I have no plans to meet with any other parties at this point in time.

In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the relevant contracting parties, i.e. the homeowner, the builder, the materials supplier and/or their respective insurers and 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.

In the event that the contracting parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation, the option of seeking redress in the Courts can be considered. In this context, my Department understands that legal proceedings have been instigated in a number of cases relating to this problem.