Mica-afflicted need €15k to relocate from crumbling homes or government to build high-quality modular homes: Mac Lochlainn

Sinn Féin T.D. Pádraig Mac Lochlainn warned hundreds of families in Donegal are likely to be affected by the mica and housing crisis in the years ahead.

He described it as a ‘profound crisis for dozens of families’.

“These houses are not fit for human habitation. I appeal to them to either release the €15,000 to allow these homeowners to find alternative accommodation or allow modular high-quality housing to be built on different sites.

"It will be a huge problem...that families will go through the scheme, please God, in the near future, but will not have alternative homes while their houses are being rebuilt,” he said.

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said he was aware of houses in an extremely poor condition.

“Certainly, I have seen the images and I have spoken to owners of homes that are in a very poor state of repair. As the Deputy knows, we have already made some changes in respect of the weathering grant in that we brought it forward.

"I am certain we will be able to front-load some of the expenses where homes are dangerous. I want to do that. I want to get the scheme up and running and homes beginning to be remediated, especially in County Donegal.

"It is happening in County Mayo. We will bring in regulations before the end of the year to underpin the scheme. I will come back to the Deputy, Deputy [Thomas] Pringle and my colleagues in County Donegal, including the Minister, Deputy [Charlie] McConalogue, following my meeting with the chief executive and his team, which I will have this week,” he said.

MICA families ‘out on a limb’ as departments play 'round and round the gardens' - Derry Colr.

Independent TD Marc McSharry said emergency planning should be invoked to provide people on the housing list in Donegal with modular homes.

"Some of the over 1,500 families on the Sligo housing list, 2,400 on the Donegal housing list and 700 on the Leitrim housing list, all within my constituency, none of whom have a home, have told me they are beginning to wonder where they come in the pecking order as Irish citizens when it comes to Government action,” he said.