Councillor Martin McDermott elected Defective Blocks Committee Chairperson

The AGM of the committee was held in County House, Lifford on Monday last and Colr McDermott, who was the previous chair of the committee, was proposed by Sinn Fein Councillor Gerry McMonagle and seconded by 100% Redress Party’s Colr Ali Farren.

Colr McMonagle indicated he would have intended to nominate someone from the 100% Redress Party, but they indicated they would prefer to gain more experience before taking up the role,

The 100% Redress Party’s Tomas Sean Devine was elected Vice-Chairperson of the committee. He was proposed by party colleague Councillor Joy Beard and seconded by Independent Declan Meehan.

The committee has also been restructured so that a new chairperson and vice-chairperson will be nominated on a yearly basis.

Speaking at the meeting, Colr McDermott said the defective blocks issue was the ‘biggest issue in the county’.

“It affects people every day of the week. It has caused great mental stress to families. It has caused family break ups and so much stress to people. It is incumbent for us, as a defective concrete blocks committee, to work together for the best of the people, to do our best to get the scheme to work as best as we can for those people.”

Colr McDermott said the scheme itself was designed and set up by the Housing Department, but said the committee can ‘push’ the department to ‘get things done’ and highlight the issues affecting those impacted by defective blocks.