100% Redress Party calls on Council to help after people 'traumatised' during storm

The 100% Redress party is asking Donegal County Council to make provisions for families living in defective concrete homes, in the event of further severe weather.

Last month, Storm Isha wreaked havoc on the county, yet they claim nothing was done by the Council to provide refuge for fearful families living in crumbling homes.

The party cannot understand why, despite having prior notice of a red weather warning, the Council didn’t make provisions to open public buildings for terrified families to take refuge.

A red status weather warning means a risk to life. Due to global warming, future storms are likely to become more severe. With people becoming less structurally sound due to defective concrete blocks, the risk of serious injury, or worse, is likely to increase.

The party is asking the Council to compile a database of homeowners and provide a text service to advise them when a weather alert is in place, and where to go for safety.

The party is concerned that if applications are not fast-tracked, and the Scheme is not made more accessible, next winter houses will be in a lot worse condition. The party is calling for emergency funding to be more accessible and funds released more quickly.

“As the storm raged, we had reports of terrified children having to be separated from their parents for safety,” Ali Farren, Public Relations Officer of the Party, said. “A parent told us that she moved her children from one side of the house to the “better side” as she was so terrified that the “bad gable” was going to come down.

“A pensioner contacted us saying that she was at home on her own and was traumatised by the sound of the wind battering against her crumbling walls. She felt the roof was going to come down on top of her as she lay in her bed. Sadly, homes are deteriorating rapidly and even on a normal weather day, families are living in fear.”

Tomas Devine, Chairman of the Party, commented: “We need the council to be more proactive in its thinking and develop an emergency plan for when the next severe weather event occurs. That’s why we need as many councillors as possible in the chamber from the 100% Redress Party.”

Joy Beard, Co-Founder of the Party, said: “I’m a homeowner and I was terrified, it was a scary night for everyone but to be in a defective block home during a status red weather warning was something I’ll never forget. I’m just relieved that everyone made it through unscathed, but I’m extremely worried about the next time. Will we be as lucky? Will it take a serious injury - or worse - before something is done about this disaster of a scheme that’s clearly not working.”