A Donegal deputy is warning of systemic failures, unethical engineering decisions, and the urgent need for proactive intervention.
“Families are living in fear every day, watching their homes crumble while being told they do not qualify for help. It is heartbreaking, and it is cruel,” said Deputy Charles Ward, 100% Redress Party, in the Dáil.
“It gives me no satisfaction to say that the Housing Agency is finding new and inventive ways to exclude people from the remediation scheme and homeowners are paying the price.”
Homeowners have already endured a failed appeals system when pyrrhotite in blocks was ignored. Now, the Agency has introduced a new method to refuse access, stretching I.S. 465, cherry-picking facts, and telling only part of the story. These decisions, it has been warned, reflect poor engineering judgment. Aggregates in some properties may contain deleterious materials such as mica and iron sulfides, which accelerate cracking and compromise structural durability.
Deputy Ward also highlighted the huge volume of ethics complaints already submitted to Engineers Ireland regarding Housing Agency engineers, raising serious questions about accountability and professional oversight.
“This flawed approach cannot stand.
“Waiting for appeals to correct errors is reactive, costly, and forces preventable harm on homeowners who cannot afford delay. The Agency and Minister have the authority and responsibility to act proactively and treat this decision as a test case before more families are affected.”
Deputy Ward concluded with a direct challenge: “Now that this has been brought to your attention, will the Housing Agency and the Minister exercise their power now to stop this flawed method, review the decision, and protect homeowners rather than forcing avoidable harm through Maintains a length that’s suitable for news distribution, press coverage, or broadcast pickup.”
If you are a homeowner who has been refused access to the scheme please contact Deputy Ward’s office on 074 913 0207 or charles.ward@oireachtas.ie
