'It's like dust:' 76-year-old man in condemned defective block house has 'nowhere to go'

Frank Crumlish has lived in his home in Malin for 23 years and is grieving the loss of his beloved wife, Hazel, who sadly passed away in January.

Their home is due to be demolished in a few weeks time.

Frank has been unable to secure alternative accommodation and has therefore been trying to build a shed in his back garden in which to live in.

He joined campaigner Paddy Diver on social media earlier this week for an emotional video in which they told how he also can’t get a space in sheltered housing as he ‘owns his own house’.

Paddy pointed out how that house is uninhabitable, there is also no emergency accommodation available and Frank feels like he has nowhere to turn.

"To think there is elderly being treated like this in Donegal is an absolute disgrace’, said Paddy.

Frank is currently sleeping in a back room of the house, which is crumbling.

Campaigners have urged the government to make upfront payments available to homeowners in the early stages of the scheme, so that they can purchase accommodation or pay rent and storage costs while their homes are being demolished.

Speaking to the Journal, an emotional Frank said he has been inundated with messages since the video was posted.

He told how Paddy has been ‘just brilliant’ and has been trying to source a mobile home and storage containers, while the local community have also rallied around.

He is hopeful that the government will make an announcement on upfront payments very soon so that he can purchase somewhere to live.

"They weren’t giving the funding, they were telling me I had to pay upfront (for accommodation and storage.)” said Frank.

Frank, who is originally from the Kinnego Bay area, worked for many years in England before he and Hazel, along with their family, bought a site in Malin, on which they built their house.

About six years ago, the couple began noticing cracks in the property and soon realised the blocks were defective.

Frank said it has been a ‘very stressful’ and emotional few years.

He is now having to grieve his wife, while navigating the demolition of his house and trying to find alternative accommodation.

Frank told how the house is ‘not safe’ and he is worried the outside plaster will fall off and injure someone.

"The whole back is cracking off. The blocks on the end. There a couple of blocks where you can scratch them out and you can see inside to the insulation. It’s like dust really.”

He said he will be relieved to see the house demolished, but it is still an upsetting process as it is his and Hazel’s family home.

Frank said the state of the property has been a constant source of worry.

"We should be allowed to be able to get ourselves into a property first, before it all starts. It should be upfront. I didn’t ask to build a dodgy house. And even with the banks, I wouldn’t get nothing as a pensioner. You have no chance.

"I feel so sorry for the young people dealing with all this.”

It will take around a year and half for the house to be rebuilt and Frank is hopeful an announcement will be made as soon as possible on upfront payments.

He outlined how Paddy and Councillor Martin McDermott are working to ensure an upfront payment will be made to him, so that he can buy a mobile home and storage containers.

The upfront payment will not be an additional payment on the scheme, but will be taken from the overall grant.

Last week, the Department of Housing told the Journal they were hoping to provide clarity soon on the payments.

"In recognition of the funding challenges facing DCB Scheme applicants, particularly in the early stages of the process, the Government is examining ways in which funding can be released at an earlier stage in the process. This would have to be done within the current legislative framework underpinning the Scheme and ensure that the standard governance principles underpinning such grant schemes continued to be adhered to. In particular, the funding would not be additional in nature rather it would be an acceleration of payments i.e. the overall grant cap of €420,000 would still apply. Following extensive consultation with all relevant stakeholders the Department expects to be in a position to provide further clarity on this matter shortly.”