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Minister visits "crumbling"
Inishowen houses
02.03.15
THE Minister for
Housing, Paudie Coffey, visited Inishowen on
Saturday to witness first-hand the distress of local
families who say their homes are "crumbling around
them".
The members of the Mica Action Group are seeking a
redress scheme, alleging their homes were built with
defective materials.
They said Mr Coffey saw "the serious conditions
under which homeowners are being forced to live,
with homes literally crumbling around them".
He also met personally with the affected homeowners
and heard of "the significant stress that results
from this issue – an issue brought about through no
fault of their own". |
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Donegal chartered engineer Damien
McKay, left, outlines the causes of the degradation
at one of the affected Inishowen homes to Housing
Minister, Paudie Coffey on Saturday. |
The minister's visit
followed a public meeting last November at which
some 350 people attended. A face to face meeting was
then held in Dublin between the group and officials
from the Department of Environment.
Mica member Ann Owens and chartered engineer Damien
McKay, accompanied the minister and other officials;
Minister Joe McHugh TD and Cllr Bernard McGuinness
to the affected homes.
“Some of the affected homeowners have shared
detailed technical reports with the Department of
Environment, outlining robust testing that has been
undertaken on their properties to verify the cause
of the significant cracking to homes.
“The minister has assured the group of his continued
co-operation and support in seeing that those who
are culpable be held fully accountable for this
issue," added Ms Owens. |
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