Baby and five siblings in social home that’s ’not safe to live in’ - Donegal Daily

A six-month-old baby and five other children are living in a social home that is ’basically falling apart’ due to defective concrete.(Note: This video contains...

A six-month-old baby and five other children are living in a social home that is 'basically falling apart' due to defective concrete.

100% Redress Councillor Denis McGee highlighted the family's plight in recent days.

He told how the family cannot wait for the government's recently-announced scheme for social housing to be put in place.

In a video on social media, Cllr McGee walks around the outside of the house and highlights how it has numerous cracks and large holes in the wall.

Other defects include large gaps around windows and large chunks of missing plaster.

There is also plaster and parts of brick lying on the ground, that have fallen off the wall.

Cllr McGee said the house, which is located in the Glenties Municipal District and owned by Donegal County Council, is 'not safe to live in.'

"I've been dealing with this house for about two years now and it's as if no-one is really listening.

"This is a council-owned house. There is a family in this house with six kids and it's falling.

Cllr McGee said the fact a family is 'made to live in these conditions' is a 'sad reflection on our country.'

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He called on local TDs in Government to listen to what campaigners and homeowners are saying.

"There is only so much shouting we can do. But, we will shout as much as we can to get people out of these disastrous conditions.

"There are six small kids in this house. A young baby that is six months old and a kids up to 14 or 15.

He continued: "Do we have to wait until something falls on some child?"

Cllr McGee said he is once again in contact with the council to 'get this family out of here'.

He added how the social housing scheme for defective block homes will not be put in place in tiome for this family.

It was announced last month that the Irish Government approved a draft Defective Concrete Blocks Social Homes Scheme, which they said will be given effect in September.

Donegal County Council formally submitted a plan and formally requested a scheme for social housing tenants to the government in 2021.

It was also confirmed that more than €1.5 million has been spent carrying out emergency repairs to defective council homes in Donegal.

Only €283,570 has been recouped from the government so far, with the council expecting to pursue the remaining costs when the Social Housing Remediation Scheme is eventually introduced.

Director of Housing Anne Marie Conlon, speaking at a recent meeting of Donegal County Council, said officials had been in ongoing contact with the Department and had repeatedly stressed the need for a fully-funded scheme.