Homeowners seeking compensation for mica are waiting nine months to get to the first stage of the three-step redress scheme.
The Business Post reports on Sunday that only one in 15 applicants have been told how much compensation they'll receive. Quoting figures supplied to newspaper, it reports just 30 applicants to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme have reached the stage o the process where they learn how much they will receive in compensation.
It's estimated over 5,000 homes are affected by the defective blocks, but just 475 people have applied to the scheme.
It requires homeowners to pay up to €7,000 for an engineer's report in order to register.
Donegal staffing
Michael O'Doherty of the Mica Action Group in Donegal, said under resourcing in local authorities is causing the delay. “What we have right now is simply not working.” Mr O’Doherty said that Donegal’s Director of Services Joe Peoples said at a meeting last week that they were understaffed compared to where they wanted to be. “This is something we have known all along and something that needs to be addressed urgently.”
Last week Donegal’s Highlands Radio reported that the county’s Mica Redress Committee was told the council has contacted the department seeking funding to appoint two additional staff members to work as liaison officers, and provide back up to the existing staff.
