Thousands of Irish homeowners impacted by defective mica concrete have been “given a lot of hope” by the European Parliament committee that deals with public petitions.
That’s according to Ireland Midlands-Northwest MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, who, along with members of the European Parliament Petitions Committee – as well as a number of other Irish MEPs – visited Co. Donegal in November, where most of the affected homeowners are located.
This visit followed on from a number of petitions received by the European Parliament in recent years from Irish homeowners, asking the EU to hold Ireland to a higher standard in construction and for accountability for the defective mica concrete crisis.
Last week, the Petitions Committee delivered its report on its visit, with its chairperson, Spanish MEP Dolors Montserrat, saying: “I am persuaded that this report will bring us a paradigm shift…that should help us come up with a definitive solution for the many Irish people who are suffering because of these defective blocks in construction.”
Commenting on the committee’s report, Flanagan said: “The European Parliament’s Petitions Committee gave thousands of Irish homeowners, affected by defective concrete products, a lot of hope.
“The committee has to be commended for how seriously it has taken this most important of issues. When I was first approached three years ago by affected homeowners I suggested that they try this route,” he added.
Flanagan said that he had had prior positive experience with the Petitions Committee in relation to a separate issue.
“What has appeared in the draft report shows that the mission to Donegal has been taken seriously by the European Parliament. The report explodes the myth that the grant scheme is fit for purpose, something that the Irish government has been attempting to imprint on public opinion.
“This was and still is a process to examine whether or not the government has carried out its responsibilities when it comes to implementing EU legislation. Visiting MEPs from outside Ireland were there to give an impartial view on what they saw,” the independent MEP said.
The resulting report is “solid”, according to Flanagan, and would give justice to impacted homeowners.
“The state was very quick to point to turf cutters and criticise them for not abiding by EU law. They threatened people with court,” he claimed.
“The shoe’s on the other foot on this issue. Let the government now practice what it preaches and follow EU law,” Flanagan added.