Crumbling homes redress payouts top €230m

The Irish government has spent more than €230m (£202m) on a redress scheme for people whose homes were built with defective concrete blocks.

However, some campaigners say thousands still face another winter in unsafe homes.

In the Republic of Ireland, thousands of homes – mostly in counties Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo – have been affected by defective blocks.

Many have crumbled due to water-absorbing minerals causing the bricks to crack and some have been demolished.

A government redress scheme was announced in November 2021 and is capped at €420,000 (£357,500) per home.

In a statement, the Department of Housing confirmed that more than €235m (£206m) had been spent on the scheme to date.

That is expected to rise, with a funding commitment in the region of €175m (£154m) expected for 2026.

The department also said more than 1,700 remediation determinations have now been issued under the programme.

More than 320 households had completed remediation works by October, while more than 1,000 others have formally notified local authorities that repairs or reconstruction works have begun.

However, some campaigners, including councillor Joy Beard of the 100% Redress Party, have said the pace of the scheme is leaving thousands in limbo.

Her own home near Buncrana, County Donegal, was built with defective blocks and demolished last year.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme on Tuesday, she said many families are looking at the prospect of spending another Christmas in an unsafe home.

“There has only been 205 properties remediated in County Donegal under the enhanced defective block scheme,” she said.

“Potentially we have tens of thousands of families living in homes that are in dire, unsafe and unhealthy conditions in the run up to Christmas.”

She said the current scheme was “not working for the majority of homeowners”.

“People can’t access the upfront costs, they can’t make up the shortfall between the grant and actual build cost, and again we don’t have enough accommodation for these families to be rehoused as we are in a housing crisis.”

She said heating the damaged homes was a particular problem and warmth would escape through cracks in the walls.

“Heat is being lost through these cracks in the walls and some families will really feel that this winter,” she said.