Council says one-third of its social housing stock may be affected by mica

Donegal County Council estimates that up to 2,000 of its social homes are affected by defective concrete blocks, but admits that no remediation works have begun because Central Government has yet to open its Social Housing Remediation Scheme.
The information was provided in a written answer from Director of Housing Services, Patsy Lafferty, to a motion proposed by Cllr Frank McBrearty at September’s plenary council meeting. Cllr McBrearty had sought details on the number of core sample tests carried out on the council’s housing stock.
The existing Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme is open only to private homeowners, who must arrange their own repairs. Social housing tenants will have works carried out on their homes by the council once the Government launches the new scheme and releases funds.

Read more: Changes to Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks scheme to undergo pre-legislative scrutiny

Mr Lafferty confirmed that the council has set up a dedicated ‘Social Housing Remediation Team’, which has carried out minor repair works where needed and tested around 200 homes in preparation for the scheme commencing. However, no remediation has yet taken place.
Visual surveys suggest that 1,000 social houses - including 80 vacant homes - are already affected, with the potential for another 1,000.
If confirmed, this would mean more than one-third of the council’s overall housing stock of 5,462 units is compromised.
Cllr McBrearty also pressed for details of test results carried out by Petrolab in England, with particular reference to eight social properties at Railway Park, St Johnston. He further asked whether any homes have been condemned as unsafe, and how many tenants had been rehoused.
In his reply, Mr Lafferty said laboratory tests had been carried out by a number of companies, and that results, costs and associated data could be collated and shared with elected members once the motion was passed.