Redress scheme is ‘back to front’; homeowners must accept repairs before evidence
“People are being asked to make one of the most important decisions of their lives, while kept completely in the dark by the government” - TD Ward warns
TD Charles Ward has described the Defective Concrete Block Remediation Scheme as fundamentally ‘back to front’, warning that homeowners are being asked to accept major remediation decisions without first being given the full engineering evidence relating to their properties.
Written responses from the Government, Housing Agency and Donegal County Council confirm a process where key technical reports, including petrographic and materials testing, are not provided to homeowners at the point they are asked to agree to a remediation determination, the Redress Deputy warns.
The Housing Agency has confirmed its engineer’s report is not automatically issued and may only be accessed through FOI or data protection requests. Donegal County Council states the report is issued to applicants only after a determination has been issued and is then made available via its online portal. The Government position is that the report does not form part of the decision stage.
Deputy Ward said the structure of the scheme leaves homeowners making life-changing decisions without sight of the evidence behind them. Homeowners are being asked to accept or proceed with a remediation determination before they are given the engineering evidence that justifies it, he said.
The Housing Agency has said it has no issue sharing these reports and local authorities confirm they can be accessed. However the current process means homeowners do not see them at the point where they are asked to decide.
Ward said reliance on FOI or data protection requests for core technical evidence is not acceptable where people are being asked to make binding decisions about their homes.
“This is not minor administrative paperwork,” he said. “It is the technical foundation for decisions that determine whether a home is repaired, rebuilt, or demolished. That information should be provided in advance, not after a decision is effectively required.”
The Redress TD is calling on the Minister for Housing to immediately change the process to ensure all engineering reports are provided to homeowners before requiring homeowners to accept a remediation determination in order to guarantee informed consent and transparency.
“People are being asked to make one of the most important decisions of their lives, while kept completely in the dark by the government,” he said.