Church leaders call
for 100% Mica redress
20.09.21
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ROMAN Catholic and Church
of Ireland bishops, and a leading Presbyterian
clergyman, have called on the Irish Government to offer
full and immediate redress to the thousands of people
whose homes have been affected by the mica/pyrite
crisis. Numerous family homes have been seriously
damaged because defective building blocks were used in
their construction. |
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Msgr Michael Canny, Bishop
Andrew Forster and Bishop Alan McGuckian outside the
O'Donnell family home, near Burnfoot, which is being
demolished because it was built with defective blocks. |
The church leaders said:
“Housing and homelessness are recognised as key
political and social justice issues of our time. In this
context, immediate action is needed to alleviate the
mica/pyrite crisis which is affecting the health,
well-being and safety of homeowners and their families.
As church leaders, we are gravely concerned at the
families’ plight. While many of our impacted citizens
live on the periphery of our island, it is disturbing
that their basic need for good housing also seems
peripheral to the agenda of our political leaders. A
number of us have had the opportunity to visit some of
the affected homes and heard from campaigners. Our
foremost concern now is getting support for these
families.
“There appears to be a disparity in the way people in
our region are being treated compared to those
elsewhere. Homeowners in Leinster were awarded 100%
redress for the pyrite problems there. The citizens of
Donegal, Mayo, Sligo, Tipperary, Clare and Limerick
deserve no less. This is a matter of fairness, justice
and compassion.
“There may come a time for assigning responsibility for
what has happened. One thing is certain, though: the
homeowners are not to blame." |
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The three church leaders
surveyed rubble that was removed from the Breslins'
home, at Ludden, near Buncrana, after the house was
demolished because of the mica crisis. The family have
moved into a temporary home on the site. |
The church leaders
explained: “The cost of repairing the damage is beyond
the means of most families. The mica/pyrite scandal is
now a test of our compassion as a society and of the
State’s resolve to help its most vulnerable. We must
move quickly to end the anguish and uncertainty for all
those affected by mica or pyrite in homes that they have
bought or built.
“The affected homeowners need three guarantees of
support:
• 100% redress from the government for homeowners;
• a 40-year, state-backed scheme, guaranteeing full
redress in the event of future problems; and,
• the remedy of 100% redress made available to all those
affected.
“We realise there will be significant costs involved,
but the State has found resources in the past to rescue
the banking sector and, more recently, to deal with the
pandemic. The mica and pyrite families need our
sympathy, our prayers and our help. They have our full
support, as church leaders, in their pursuit of their
three demands.” |
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