By Chris Ashmore
HUNDREDS and possibly thousands of people around Donegal are living in homes with old electrical wiring that could be a fire risk and which should be checked, it has emerged.
The issue has been highlighted by Cllr Martin McDermott (inset) who wants to see a public information campaign to raise awareness of the possible dangers that could exist.
Addressing the November meeting of Donegal County Council on Monday, he said he had encountered a number of homes with elderly people in them where the electric wiring has deteriorated.
In some cases the coating around wiring has melted, he said, and “this old cabling can turn into a type of green glue and cause a fire.”
Cllr McDermott, pictured below, revealed that there had been an incident in Clonmany recently where an elderly person had to be taken from their property and had to go to a nursing home while it was rewired.
In fact, he claimed that there have been about six cases over the past nine months where there have been electric wiring issues. He also showed some photos of worn wiring to illustrate the points he was making.
He said this is not just a problem in Inishowen, but applies to all areas, and notably to houses built in the 60s, 70s and even 80s.
He continued: “You can smell it, the tinge to the cabling that is deteriorating”.
He said it applied to cases where this is old black and red wiring in old houses. Newer houses have different coloured wiring (with black now being blue and red now being brown) under European Union legislation and now are blue and brown.
Expressing his concern, especially for elderly people living alone in old houses, he tabled a motion asking the Council “to run a public information campaign reminding homeowners to have their electrical systems checked”.
Cllr Ciaran Brogan, Mayor of Letterkenny, seconded the motion.
In response, Patsy Lafferty, Director of Housing, Corporate & Cultural Services, pointed out that grant assistance is available from the Council for a range of housing related matters.
“The Housing Aid for Older People Scheme provides financial assistance for older people aged 66 years or over, towards the cost of various essential repairs to their home. The scheme allows for grant assistance towards the upgrading of electrical wiring,” he confirmed.
He also pointed out that the Council is currently holding information evenings in each Municipal District at which people can obtain further information on this and other grants.
He added that people can also call into their local Public Services Centre for information or access it on the local authority’s website.
“It is vitally important we get the message out there,” Cllr.. McDermott commented.
He also asked that the motion be circulated to other councils, “as this measure has the potential to save lives.”
Grants
Under the updated Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People Scheme, there has been an increase in grant levels, and changes to the eligibility process which will enable a greater number of people to apply.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People is now worth up to €40,000 while the Housing Aid for Older People Grant is worth up to €10,700 and the Mobility Aid Grant can be applied for up to €8,000.
More people are now eligible for the scheme as the grant limits have increased by over 30 per cent and income thresholds raised by 25 per cent.
