Country music star Daniel O’Donnell has come out in favour of 100% redress for homeowners with mica.
Thousands of homes in Donegal, Mayo and Sligo were built using the defective building material and many are now crumbling into dust.
Mr O’Donnell, who is strongly associated with his home county of Donegal, said the issue had caused people a lot of ‘trauma’:
“This is such an unfortunate situation and these people that have ended up with houses that are defective. They’ve invested everything they have… Nobody meant this to happen but I do think that they need to be helped.
“The people that have pyrite in their houses, you know they got everything done for them and I know it’s a huge cost - and I suppose it’ll go on for years paying it back - but you know, the trauma that’s been caused.
“I mean, children are living in fear and it’s going to affect people mentally. I just don’t know why it’s been prolonged.”
Compensation for homeowners
A redress scheme was established in January 2020 but only offered homeowners 90% of the costs towards repairs. Campaigners have called for it to be increased to 100%. However, reports earlier this week suggested that it might be capped at €400,000 per home.
When asked if he thought Donegal was being left behind by the Government, Mr O’Donnell said:
“Well, I don’t even know, I mean there’s other counties involved too.... Why has it been prolonged? Why if they’re going to give 100% redress, why don’t they just do it?”
He added:
“Can you imagine [being] in your house and hearing the walls cracking?... I believe that they need the help and they need to get their houses fixed. And they cannot do it on their own.
“They’ve invested, you’ve paid for your house once. Most people, they build their house and that’s where they live until they die. And these people can’t do that, so I think it just has to be done for them.”
Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien is due to bring a report before the Cabinet within the next fortnight.
Main Image: Daniel O'Donnell, pictured in 2019. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie
