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The harrowing reality of living with defective blocks was outlined to delegates at the recent Teachers’ Union of Ireland by Inishowen teachers, who told how families are living in a nightmare.

Crana College teachers Siobhan McCullagh and Aine Gallagher received applause and a standing ovation after they outlined to delegates at the recent INTO conference of the devastating impact the crisis is having on students, staff and the local community.

Ms McCullagh compared the crisis to a ‘large trawler that has come and pulled us in’.

She told how it impacts on ‘everyone, from every possible, imaginable circumstance you can think of and there’s no way out’.

The teachers told how families are living a nightmare.

Ms McCullagh said she is witnessing, on a daily basis, how friends, colleagues and students are ‘breaking down with stress’ and are living with a ‘waking nightmare’.

She read a testimony from a mother of three, whose house is due to be demolished. The mother told how she not know how much longer her family will be safe in their home.

Ms Gallagher told delegates that her home is a ‘living hell’ and not the safe haven it should be.

The teachers, who were joined by their Donegal branch colleague Joe Higgins, spoke of the many issues surrounding families, including the accommodation crisis and difficulties in finding the upfront funding needed to access the scheme and rebuild.

A motion supporting all those affected by the defective blocks crisis and the call for 100% compensation was passed unanimously by delegates at the Teachers’ Union of Ireland conference.

Inishowen teachers tell Teachers' Union of Ireland colleagues of the 'nightmare' defective blocks crisis