Newly-elected redress councillor Joy Beard to be living in a caravan by end of week

Joy Beard, who has been elected to Donegal County Council for the 100% Redress Party, says she will be living in a caravan in her garden by the end of the week.

The home of the Buncrana woman is to be fully demolished in the coming days due to defective concrete blocks.

She is one  of  four candidates from the party, which was only formed last year,  who were elected to Donegal County Council. The first-time candidate was elected on the first count in the Buncrana local electoral area with 1,587 first preference votes.

Originally from Limavady, she said her home is to be demolished “in the next week or so” as it is unsafe, meaning she will be moving into a caravan with her husband. 

“It has been a very stressful time with the campaign and getting organised with my house as well,” she said.

Her personal experience of living in a defective blocks home and knowing what affected homeowners are going through, helped her pull the vote she did, she believes.

“I think that’s what people appreciate too - they know I know what they are going through.I know the issues that they are all going to be facing to be honest because I am going through it.  It is lived experience and I think people valued that.”

Many people are dealing with worse situations than she is, she insisted, having spoken to someone over the weekend from a family of six that is moving into a caravan.

 “So there are six living in one of those caravans. It is horrendous for families to do that, so I don’t know how they are going to cope to be honest, but there is nowhere for them to rent.”

Affected homeowners like her had been left with no choice but to form a political party and she hopes the result of the election will send “a good message to the government” as “homes are becoming worse – they’re not getting any better”. 

“I can see the change in houses, nearly weekly, and we need families out of these homes. One of my big issues will be getting these people to safety.

"I think we’re at crisis point, to be honest. I’ve been a campaigner for seven years and even I didn’t realise the magnitude of this until I went and knocked on doors. People are shying away from it, for whatever reason, and I get that. There will come a time it has to be dealt with and they’re not even thinking along those lines yet. I think there should be an analysis into how many properties are impacted.”