MEP Luke Ming Flanagan has called on Fine Gael MEPs to ensure amendments tabled to a report on defective concrete blocks by the European People’s Party (EPP) are “withdrawn with immediate effect”.
Flanagan said the changes “work to weaken and undermine” the draft report, which arose following the EU visit to Co. Donegal.
The visit from October 30 to November 1, 2023 was based on the use of defective mica blocks in construction in Ireland, an alleged non-compliance with the EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR).
Flanagan said the report drawn up as a result of the visit has “given a lot of hope” to homeowners.
The EPP has proposed an amendment to recommendation five of the report, which looks at more flexibility in the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, to take better account of the financial burden of all the costs, such as new foundations.
The party is seeking to introduce “more flexibility” to the report, in reflecting what it said is the “force majeure nature” of the crisis.
Defective concrete
Flanagan said that this is “deceptively untrue” and “highly damaging” to those seeking redress.
“Force majeure refers to factors beyond our control or ‘acts of God’. There was nothing in this that was beyond our control.
“The authorities that should have ensured that standards were met, looked the other way instead of doing their job,” Flanagan said.
“Continued nonchalance from the government is the reason for the current situation, it is disingenuous in the extreme to try to insinuate otherwise,” the MEP said.
“It is equally disingenuous for elected representatives to visit affected homeowners and to promise them help and support for the camera, while in the background work to weaken and undermine a report that is highlighting their difficulties and proposing solutions for remedial works,” he added