A letter has been written to Housing Minister James Browne by a panel of almost 30 DCB homeowners waiting to receive their results from the Defective Concrete Appeals Panel.
They say that many families have been waiting for two years after appealing the downgrading of their home remediation by the Department of Housing.
The families say the lack of basic communication from the appeals panel is having a severe and ongoing impact, and that the delay is unacceptable.
Those who had their remediation options downgraded have been left unable to repair, sell, insure, or refinance their homes, resulting in financial losses and personal hardships.
The group claim that the few cases which have progressed were referred back to the housing agency for further review of the IS465 assessments and testing.
They say email correspondence to date has been ignored and are now requesting a clear explanation for the ongoing delays, immediate status updates, firm timeframes for the delivery of outstanding determinations; and an assurance that any cases referred back will not result in further open-ended delays.
Letter in full:
We, the undersigned homeowners, write to you directly regarding the continued failure of the Defective Concrete Appeals Panel to issue determinations on long-outstanding appeals and the absence of any clear timeframe for decisions.
Many families have now been waiting for more than two years without resolution, meaningful updates, or basic communication. This level of delay is unacceptable. An appeals process that cannot deliver timely outcomes is not functioning as a genuine route to redress.
The impact is severe and ongoing. Homeowners whose properties were downgraded remain unable to repair, sell, insure, or refinance their homes. These are real financial losses and personal hardships caused directly by the absence of decisions.
It is particularly distressing that, in the few cases progressed to date, matters have been referred back to the Housing Agency for further IS465 review and testing. Once again placing families into the system that created this crisis and extending uncertainty for many more months.
Homeowners have repeatedly attempted to engage with the Chair of the Appeals Panel by email and by post seeking basic information on the status of their appeals. Those communications have been ignored time and time again. The absence of any response or acknowledgement has deepened distress and undermined confidence in the fairness and credibility of the entire process.
We cannot accept that responsibility lies elsewhere because the Panel is described as “independent.” The Appeals Panel operates under statutory arrangements established by your Department; it remains ultimately accountable to you for its performance. Furthermore, homeowners are entitled to expect accountability, engagement, and timely outcomes from a structure created under your remit.
We therefore ask you and the department to intervene as a matter of urgency to ensure:
A clear explanation for the ongoing delays;
Immediate status updates to all appellants;
Firm timeframes for the delivery of outstanding determinations; and
Assurance that any cases referred back will not result in further open-ended delay.
Homeowners have shown patience for far too long. Confidence in this process can only be restored through transparency, communication, and decisive action. We urge you to treat this matter with the urgency it demands.Yours sincerely,
Breid Peoples
Jifke doherty
Noeleen Walker
Stephen Gill
Margaret Mary Gallagher
Sinead McCarron
Siobhán Mc Connell
Eilish mclaughlin
Eoghan Roarty
Michael Kelly
Martin and Debbie Houston
Emmet Murray
Hayley McLucas
Liam and Mairéad Ferry
Michael & AnneMarie Donaghey
Elizabeth Simms
Stephen Hamilton
Carmel Gallagher
Orla Mooney
Siobhán Hunter
Kathleen McGrory
Sarah Keane
Shane McDaid
James Bonner
Michael & Theresa Doherty
