‘Powerful message’ sent as 1,200 people attend defective blocks meeting

The attendance of around 1,200 people at Tuesday night’s meeting on the defective blocks crisis in Donegal sends out a very powerful message to the Government, campaigners have said.

The meeting in the Inishowen Gateway Hotel in Buncrana on a joint strategy by defective concrete block campaign groups, was one of the largest meetings on the crisis held in Donegal.

Local and national politicians had been invited to the meeting to give their views on the initiative for a “true 100% redress” called the People’s Document.

Campaigners Paddy Diver, Lisa Doherty Hela (100% Redress No Less), Lisa Hone, Tricia Doherty (Mica Action Group), Roisin Gallagher (Redress Focus Groups) and Michael Doherty have compiled the document which calls for like-for-like rebuilds at no cost to the homeowner, an end to end State scheme with self-build opt-out available, proper and timely supports for those affected and actions to prevent a repeat of the crisis.

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The meeting was the latest stage in campaigners' efforts to have changes made to the Government's enhanced grant scheme which they say leaves too many affected homeowners facing huge bills to have their homes rebuilt. 

Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh, Sinn Féin TDs Pearse Doherty and Pádraig MacLohclainn and independent Donegal TD Tomas Pringle were joined by around three-quarters of Donegal’s county councillors.

Fianna Fáil TD and agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue was not present as he was attending the EU’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels. Fianna Fáil Senator Niall Blaney, who is running in the European elections, had told campaigners that he could not attend as he would be campaigning.

Speaking after the meeting Paddy Diver said the huge turnout was a “massive statement” to the Government. 

He said the campaigners would be continuing to reach out to non-government parties and politicians as “Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have had two stabs at this scheme”.

Among the next steps for the campaign will be getting campaigners in other counties affected by defective concrete blocks to endorse the document, he said.

 “We need other counties to help us and we need other parties [other than Government parties].”

“It is sad that such a big crowd has to turn out. It shows that this scheme is just not working,” he said.

“It sends out a massive message. If people keep turning up when they are asked to turn up that is a massive help for the campaigners. If that hall was half-full we might as well give up so it is a credit to the people for coming out.”

Chair of the Mica Action Group, Lisa Hone, said the huge number of people that turned out  “sends a very powerful message to the Government that there are major issues with the scheme”.

“The scheme is not working. Yet The Government is telling the country it is all grand. It is not all grand.”

She said the fact that there was no representative there to give a statement on behalf of the Government “is another strong message of where they are at." 

“They are not interested. They don’t care.”

She said the campaigners will continue to work with all those parties that are backing the People’s Document to work out the steps required for delivering 100% redress.

“If there should be a change of Government at the next election and if there is then a very tangible opportunity to deliver the People’s Document, we don't want to be starting cold. We want to be absolutely primed and ready to go.”