Another horrendous winter feared for families in defective social homes
Families living in social homes affected by defective concrete are about to face another long winter in “horrendous conditions”, a Letterkenny councillor has warned.
100% Redress councillor Tómas Seán Devine called on the Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District to prepare for an immediate roll-out of the expected Social Housing Remediation Scheme.
His motion asked the council to identify the properties and works involved so that tenders could be issued and remediation could begin as soon as the scheme is announced.
“We are led to believe there is going to be an announcement soon for a social housing scheme,” Cllr Devine told the September meeting of the MD.
He said the council had already identified the first batch of homes to be repaired. However, he pointed out that preparation is needed for many complex situations including were vacant properties are attached to homes where tenants were still living.
His motion stated: “Families are preparing to go through another long winter living in horrendous conditions, so I ask this MD to prepare now as time is of the essence for a lot of people.”
Almost 2,000 Donegal County Council social homes have been identified as being of concern due to defective concrete.
The Letterkenny-Milford area has the highest number, with 869 properties identified.
Independent Cllr Michael McBride said it was important that a clear plan was put in place for how the remediation programme would be rolled out.
He said tenants needed to know where they would be accommodated during works and whether they would have the option of returning to their original homes.
Councillors were told that the proposed scheme had been signed off at Cabinet level and was expected to go before the Dáil in the coming weeks.
The council acknowledged the concerns raised regarding the remediation of social housing affected by defective concrete blocks.
"The remediation programme is a significant and complex undertaking that requires careful planning, prioritisation and funding support," a spokesperson said.
The council is continuing to engage with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to secure the necessary approvals and resources to progress affected properties through the scheme.
It said it was committed to advancing remediation works "as quickly as practicable", while taking account of available funding, alternative accommodation, statutory requirements, procurement processes, technical assessments and the availability of contractors and consultants.
The council said it will continue to update elected members and work closely with affected tenants to minimise disruption and ensure suitable arrangements are made where required.
More than 5,100 homes have been surveyed by Donegal County Council to date, with over 200 undergoing laboratory testing.
A total of 95 households have been relocated.
The remediation programme is expected to take a number of years to complete.
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