Mica scandal

The Mica scandal occurred from 2011 in Ireland over defective concrete blocks used to build homes and other buildings.[1] The majority of affected houses are in County Donegal but other at least two other counties are also impacted. The scandal led to calls for, and then the establishment of a scheme to allow victims of the faulty blocks to make good their buildings.[1]

Issues

Muscovite can be found in rocks used to make concrete blocks and it's estimated that a presence of 1% of muscovite in concrete reduces the strength of the internal bonding by 5%, and further that such blocks bond poorly with cement paste.[1] Mica can also absorb water and excess amounts of water can cause problems in cold winters as freezing and thawing damages the blocks.[1]

More than five thousand houses, and an unknown number of office and other buildings, have been affected, with some owners moving out of their homes as they are no longer safe.[1] The majority of affected homes are in County Donegal, but there are also some in County Mayo and elsewhere.[1]

An expert panel reported to government in 2017 that the problems in these counties add to "the legacy of building failures or severe non-compliance concerns following the downturn in economic and construction activity in 2008, which exposed vulnerabilities in the building control system that was in place at that time".[1] The report included information from the National Standards Authority of Ireland that mica and other harmful impurities are limited to 1% of concrete blocks and this is covered by a statutory instrument.[1] In some affected homes in Donegal, the amount of mica in samples was significantly above the limit.[1] Companies producing building materials must comply with regulations such as the Building Control Regulations.[1]

The report stated that building control authorities lacked the ability to test materials in-house and that all ability to enforce regulations was limited by local authority budgets.[1]

Campaigning and resolution schemes

Defective Block Scheme

Campaigns on the issue began in 2011.[2] Partly as a result, the Defective Block Scheme was opened in June 2020.[1] The scheme offers five options, from replacing an external wall, with a limit of €49,500, to demolition and rebuilding, with a limit of €247,500.[1] 433 people in Donegal had engaged with the scheme as of June 2021.[1] Campaigners pointed out that homeowners had to pay €5,000 for a mica test to apply to the scheme and that this was a barrier for those who were in financial difficulty.[1] They also wanted the scheme to cover 100% of costs, as it only covered 90% of costs.[1]

2021 protests

A protest march was held in Dublin in June and October 2021.[1][3]

Impact on building block businesses

Cassidy Brothers, one of the companies that produced the blocks, was issued with an enforcement notice in October 2021 in relation to land in Cranford, County Donegal.[4] The company was ordered to shut a concrete batching plant and storage yard.[4] In November 2021 they were issued with an unauthorised development letter by Donegal County Council as they did not have planning permission to develop blocks at their site in Gransha, Buncrana.[4]

References
  1. Hennessy, Michelle (15 June 2021). "The Mica controversy explained: Here's why thousands of people took to the streets of Dublin to protest today". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  2. Hennessy, Michelle (31 December 2021). "Mica: How a campaign started around a Donegal kitchen table captured the nation's attention". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  3. McCurry, Cate (8 October 2021). "NeIn pictures: Thousands attend mica protest in Dublin: 'We don't know when our homes are going to crumble'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  4. Moore, Aoife (24 November 2021). "Concrete business involved in Mica scandal does not have permission to develop blocks on its site". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
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