Donegal Council urged to act now on short term accommodation for MICA affected

Sinn Fein Inishowen Councillor Albert Doherty has called on Donegal County Council to instigate an urgent and proactive scheme to secure temporary accommodation for MICA-affected families.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The local representative was speaking after he asked the Council what rental accommodation had been identified, secured or pursued for Council housing tenants and private housing dwellers affected by MICA.

He also asked if the Council had submitted and secured a costed plan for the repair and rebuild of affected Council stock.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Council in correspondence at the end of November responded that is exploring “all options” to identify suitable alternative accommodation for Council tenants who have to relocate and that a number of options were under ‘active consideration’. These include private short-stay accommodation as well as Council vacancies. The Council is also urging all vacant private home owners to get in touch to explore options, while modular homes are also being considered.

Sinn Féin Councillor Albert Doherty. DER4317GS010Sinn Féin Councillor Albert Doherty. DER4317GS010
Sinn Féin Councillor Albert Doherty. DER4317GS010

In its response - issued before the revised Mica redress proposals were announced by the government this week - the Council said it plans to establish a special Special Project Delivery Team to plan and progress the necessary works to Council properties affected by MICA, as well as the challenges of providing temporary accommodation while the works are undertaken.

The Council confirmed that a submission has been made to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage seeking approval to proceed with the Project Team and confirmation the Department will fund all costs associated with the project.

Reacting to the response received, Colr. Doherty said: “The option period is now long lapsed; it has to be actions.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The council are exploring private, short stay accommodation but the general public have identified that private, short stay accommodation isn’t out there,” Colr. Doherty said.

“A scheme is needed and they must be proactive in encouraging owners of properties in need of refurbishment to contact the council. To me, they can’t wait for people to come to them. There needs to be a proactive scheme identifying available properties that could be refurbished and there also needs to be an invite to property owners and a ‘carrot’ to attract these people into refurbishment and the doing up of their properties.

“The council also say they’ve been in contact with the Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and that’s Minister Daragh O’Brien, to proceed with establishment of a project team and that needs to be a priority for him.”

Colr. Doherty said he himself has written to the Minister on three occasions. “I submitted letters in seeking support for council tenants in April/ May period and they are still to be acknowledged or addressed and responded to. I contacted him in my role as Cathaoirleach of the Municipal District at the time,” he said, adding:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“A special project team has to be a priority and the Council needs to be seen to be on the ground and addressing our council tenants’ needs.

“There is 115 million over three years, with 15 million in the first year, in the Capital Plan to spend on defective blocks in homes of council tenants and the 15 million needs to be spent in 2022 to offer up some relief and respite for council families.

“The council also says in the response that the outcome of the scheme is awaited. It has now been announced by the Minister and has extreme teething issues for private homeowners and little effect for council tenants. A separate scheme has to be prioritised and needs to be worked at a.s.a.p.”