The Donegal family representatives on the Defective Blocks Working Group have unveiled their final position paper, maintaining their calls for 100% redress, and providing the “three pillars” they will base their final negotiations with Government representatives on.
It’s understood that the presentation of that position paper to Government officials is ongoing currently, and is set to conclude at 3pm today.
The position paper is based around three “pillars” according to campaigners: 100% of costs to be covered by the state, a state guarantee and removing property exclusions from the scheme.
In the paper they demand 100% redress of all costs associated with repairing or re-building mica-affected homes, including the scrapping of the current “90/10” scheme, or any VAT payments relating to re-building. They also demand that all costs incurred by homeowners on repairs to homes so far be refunded.
They also have called for changes to accessing the Defective Blocks Scheme, including the scrapping of mica-testing fees, which they claim can be as high as 15,000 euros.
The paper also includes demands for assurances for homeowners, including an official certificate of remediation, as well as a Government Guarantee to cover those accessing the scheme if they incur any further structural deterioration to their homes.
The third “pillar” regards property exclusions currently within the Defective Blocks Scheme – it demands that residences such as second homes, as well as community, commercial and farm buildings be covered by the defective blocks scheme.
You can read the final Defective Blocks Working Group position paper in full here: https://tinyurl.com/MicaBig3
Eileen Doherty is a Donegal family representative on the Working Group – she says they were pleased with the final presentation of their paper…
