by Evelyn Cullen

DONEGAL TD Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher has defended his decision to vote with the government in defeating a motion which called on the reform of the controversial Defective Concrete Blocks Redress Scheme.

And he has insisted that he is determined to work with affected families to get a better deal.

The motion, which was tabled by Donegal TD Charles Ward last Wednesday, called for a full overhaul of the redress process.

“I have no difficulty with Deputy Ward’s motion and I agree with many aspects of it,” Deputy Gallagher told the Donegal News.

“There are many reforms that do have to made to the scheme. But had I voted with the motion, I would certainly have lost the party whip, and what good would I be then to the people of Donegal?”

Losing the party whip would essentially expel Deputy Gallagher from the Fianna Fáil party and remove the influence he currently holds as a government T.D.

“I am in a much stronger position inside the party to fight for the people of Donegal, than I would be on the back benches” he added.

“Getting myself put out of the party would not have done any favours to the families in Donegal who are affected by Defective Concrete Blocks.

“They need a voice in Government to fight for them. I am committed to working with these families and to using my direct line to Ministers James Browne and Jack Chambers to push forward urgently needed reforms and legislation, such as the 10% grant increase and the inclusion of apartments in the scheme”.

Deputy Charles Ward’s motion called for a full overhaul of the redress process, reinstatement of downgraded engineer assessments and an extension of supports to public buildings and community facilities also affected by crumbling concrete.

The motion also cited a recent mental health study showing high levels of trauma among affected homeowners.

The Government countered with an amendment proposed by Minister of State for Housing James Browne, which deleted Ward’s motion and replaced it with wording defending the existing scheme, saying it was “the most generous in the world”.

The amendment was carried by a narrow margin of 70 – 63, after both of Donegal’s Fianna Fáil TDs, Charlie McConalogue and Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher, voted with the Government benches, while Sinn Féin’s Pádraig MacLochlainn and Pearse Doherty voted with Charles Ward against the amendment.

Charles Ward has said the Irish Government deleted the ‘truth’ of homeowners when they passed the amended motion on the Defective Blocks Scheme by a majority.

“Some TDs stood with the people. Others stood with the system that failed them. The divide couldn’t be clearer” said Deputy Ward.

Figures show that there are currently over 3,000 homes affected by Defective Concrete Blocks in Donegal, 580 homes under construction under the scheme and 137 completed to date.