Kate and Danny Rafferty’s Derry home affected by mica scandal
It follows a motion brought to council by SDLP Councillor Angela Dobbins which passed unanimously.
The motion also called for council to ‘explore the need to further expand governmental compensation schemes to include residents of our city and district’.
She told the meeting: “The decision by the Irish government to establish a redress scheme for private houses affected by pyrrhotite and mica was a very welcome development.
“We know since the announcement affected homeowners have been contacting Donegal County Council enquiring about the details of the proposed grant scheme but unfortunately residents in Northern Ireland have not been eligible.
“Until recently it was assumed that the Northern Ireland applications were only concerning holiday homes in the Republic.
“But it has come to light that residential properties, and in particular my concern is those in this city and district, have been affected by substandard materials such as the pyrrhotite and mica blocks.”
Cllr Dobbins informed the chamber that Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs have said they have no role in the issue of potential redress.
And the Department of Finance said that the discussions around a potential redress scheme for those affected by Pyrrhotite and Mica in the North would be for the future Executive Ministers to consider.
The Ballyarnett representative added: “This is a clear case of it’s nothing to do with us, it’s up to them and to who or what should be addressing the problems.
“So whilst governmental authorities play the blame game, residents in our council area are left with not only their homes crumbling around them and please excuse the pun, their very lives are falling apart.”
Supporting the motion, Alliance Councillor Rachael Ferguson agreed it would be “sensible” to quantify affected residents within the council boundary.
“I’m scared that when this issue comes forward here that no government department is going to want to take any responsibility,” she said.
Cllr Ferguson said she has heard from a number of people who are dealing with the current mica research that there are concerns around sites in the North “so it’s something we need to get ahead of and there will be more houses coming up across the North”.
Sinn Féin Councillor John McGowan said his party’s position as calling for “100% redress across this island for all issues caused by Mica”.
DUP Alderman Maurice Devenney gave his party’s support for the motion and UUP Alderman Ryan McCready called the situation “reprehensible’’.
People Before Profit Councillor Maeve O’Neill told the meeting: “The mica scandal continues and it was only a matter of time before it reared its ugly head here in the North.
“We need to learn the lessons from how it’s been handled in the South which has been an absolute shambles.”
Derry couple Phil and Ellen McDaid outside their crumbling holiday home near Buncrana, Co Donegal. Photo: NorthWest NewsPix
Danny and Kate Rafferty first discovered what they thought were settling cracks some years ago at their Beragh Hill Road home, but after more spider cracking on the outer walls of their home tests this year confirmed the presence of high levels of MICA.
Some families from Derry have found their holiday homes in Donegal are also crumbling as a result of the Mica scandal.
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