The Dáil has heard the number of homes that may be affected by defective concrete blocks has been “profoundly underestimated” and warned that the potential consequences will become “enormous.”
Deputy Charles Ward of the 100% Redress Party was speaking as he moved his private member’s motion on the defective blocks remediation scheme.
Mr Ward said the Government’s own scheme acknowledged the science is not fully developed on the issue.
He said people are still potentially building on top of foundations that may fail into the future.
New research suggests the number of homes affected by defective concrete blocks could be greater than initially thought.
“We have a catastrophic situation on our hands,” Mr Ward said.
An analysis of housing estates in counties Donegal, Mayo, Clare and Limerick indicates the estimated number of properties built with defective blocks could rise to 20,000.
The research by Petrolab, a British-based specialist mineralogical consultancy, was presented to TDs and senators at Leinster House yesterday.
Mr Ward warned that public money now risks being wasted on the current remediation scheme as it does not cover the foundations of properties that may contain deleterious materials.
He said while money may be saved by retaining foundations “where reasonable doubt remains” but stressed this is fiscally irresponsible.
The Donegal TD said deterioration will soon become visible on properties that are not currently exhibiting symptoms.
Mr Ward said a minimum of 12,000 homes in his county alone may fall into the high-risk market.
That does not include social homes, community buildings, and commercial premises, he said.
“The State has got this badly wrong once already. We are 14-years into this.
“Poor quality materials entered homes across affected counties and families are still paying the price today,” said Mr Ward.
People before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of trying to “bury the issue since the start of the scandal.”
He said affected households were “fobbed off” for nearly ten years, forced to campaign and protest, before “finally getting a remediation scheme that might turn out to be based on faulty scientific evidence.”
He said homeowners should not be the ones to suffer the consequences.
“They have been the only ones to suffer any real consequences up to this point,” he said.
“We are not even in the middle of this scandal yet,” Mr Murphy added.
He said families have already gone through the heartbreak of their homes “falling apart”, the stress of the campaigning and the hassle of applying for remediation.
Now it could turn out that their foundations are still faulty, he said.
“In a worst-case scenario, the whole thing might need to be demolished and rebuilt again,” said Mr Murphy.
Mr Ward also raised the issue during Leaders Questions with Taoiseach Micheál Martin recognising this is a “complex issue”.
Mr Martin said he believes in a multi-disciplinary approach.
He said the scheme was recently revised on 2 June but added this revision needs to examined in more detail.
“The Government remains committed to following the science when it comes to defective concrete blocks,” he said.
Minister for Housing James Browne has committed to a review of the operation of the act as quickly as possible and that damage interpretation will be addressed as part of this review, he added.
Mr Martin said €336 million has been spent to date on the scheme, with 500 homes completed and 750 currently undergoing remediation.
“It is a significant scheme by any yard stick,” he said.
Speaking after the motion was introduced, Minister of State at the Department of Housing Christopher O’Sullivan said: “We do have to rely on the science that we have.”
He said the Government has committed to improving the scheme on a continuous basis. However, he added that the “scheme is working for many”.
A vote on the motion will take place this evening.
Energy prices
Diesel will go up by 32 cent and petrol will go up by 27 cent from the beginning of August unless the Government extends the fuel excise cuts, the Dáil has heard.
Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Finance Pearse Doherty warned this will happen during the Dáil recess if the Government does not act now because that is what the Finance Bill, voted in the Dáil last week, stipulated.
He called on the Government to make it clear that these increases will not take effect on 1 August.
The Taoiseach accused Sinn Féin of playing politics with the issue, saying “it’s a game you’re at.”
Speaking during Leaders’ Questions, Micheál Martin said the cost of oil is down compared to May, but prices are still ahead of where they were before the war in Iran.
The recent increases are beginning to unwind and the Government will keep the matter under review and act accordingly on petrol and diesel excise cuts before the Dáil recess in July, the Taoiseach said.
“It makes sense that you monitor the market, of course it does, otherwise you are filling the pockets of the oil companies,” Mr Martin said.
Parents facing ‘impossible choices’ regarding childcare
Michael Collins of Independent Ireland raised childcare services and funding and said parents of children with additional needs may not be able to access early years childcare.
He told the Dáil that care providers accepted fee freezes, but have been left with rising costs, staff shortages and additional financial burdens and, as a result, children are in danger of losing their places and access to vital services.
Mr Collins said parents who are relying on childcare are facing impossible choices, having to look at reducing their hours, take unpaid leave or, in some cases, leave the workforce entirely to care for their children.
He said the solution is to reverse the funding freezes and introduce a sustainable funding model that reflects the real cost of delivering childcare.
Replying, the Taoiseach said a sense of balance is needed and that the deputy’s assessment “is way off”.
Mr Martin said the Government had made “more progress on childcare in the last five years than in the previous 30.”
He said costs are down 36% and further measures to reduce fees will be a priority for the next budget.
Mr Martin added that core funding is at its highest level of participation since the scheme began, with 4,950 services signed up for this year and that over 70% of services that exited core funding have returned.
He also said about 25% of parents are now paying less than €200 per month per child, and the Government will make a significant move on increasing that number in the budget.
