The protest’s organiser called on the government to end the “torture” and fix the homes.
Several thousands of people affected by the Mica scandal marched through Dublin on Friday afternoon (8 October) in order to demand a 100% redress compensation scheme from the government.
Householders affected, from Donegal, Mayo and other counties, whose properties are crumbling due to the use of defective concrete blocks, gathered at The Garden of Remembrance in Parnell Square in Dublin city at midday for the major protest.
From there, campaigners then marched down O’Connell Street to the Department of Housing’s head office on Custom House Quay.
Organiser of the protest Paddy Diver called on the government to end the “torture” and “fix the homes”.
Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
“The message is we can’t wait no longer. We’re not looking forward to Christmas,” he told Virgin Media News.
“We’ve been promised an answer the end of July, the middle of September. Then [Housing Minister] Darragh O’Brien comes out three times and says we’ll have an answer the end of September. Still no answer.
“Our houses are deteriorating, yes, but our mental health is deteriorating as well.
“We’re coming down here to say, end this torture. Fix the homes. It’s not our fault.”
The government is expected to make an announcement regarding the redress scheme in the coming weeks.
Main image via Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
