"Illogical": Homeowners In Fire-Damaged Estates, Including Millfield, Excluded From Remediation Scheme

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin expressed her frustration at the government's decision to limit the scheme to apartments and duplexes.

Homeowners in estates like Millfield Manor in Newbridge feel "abandoned" after it was confirmed that houses will be excluded from the fire defect remediation scheme.

A report, released in September 2017, revealed significant construction flaws in the six homes that were completely destroyed within just 25 minutes.

While no injuries were reported, the fire has had a profound impact on the families who lost their homes, which the report deemed to be poorly built.

Speaking in the Seanad, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin expressed her frustration at the government's decision to limit the scheme to apartments and duplexes.

"The scheme is designed only for apartments and duplexes, not houses and I find it very difficult to understand that logic," she said.

She added: "Not a family photography survived the fire, not a stick of furniture, and their hopes and their dreams and their plans went up in flames."

She has called on the government to reconsider the eligibility criteria for the scheme, arguing that there is no justification for excluding houses when similar defects have been found in other residential complexes.

With regard to Millfield, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Sean Fleming, said the Housing Agency has no record of an application from the owners’ management company of this development on behalf of house or apartment owners.

He said that  matters relating to fire safety "such as these are a matter for the relevant local authority in the first instance".

He added that the "scale of defects in apartments and duplexes is significant. It is estimated that between 62,500 and 100,000 apartments may be affected by one or more fire safety, structural safety or water ingress defects."

"Full remedial works, which will include all necessary fire safety measures as well as those related to water ingress and structural damage, will be funded under the forthcoming apartment and duplex defects remediation scheme, in respect of which the drafting of legislation is now well advanced," he said.

He added: There cannot be too many cases like Millfield in the country. It would be good to have an idea, for future reference, how many houses are in some of these multi-unit development complexes with apartments and duplexes."

"I take the Senator's point that the schemes I mentioned were more of a general nature than specific to the particular area the Senator has highlighted on behalf of the people of Newbridge. She mentioned that because these homes have timber frames, by definition they would not be covered by some of these schemes, " he explained.

He added: "I ask the people involved to check with their insurance companies to see is there an avenue for them to be covered. I do not know whether they have done that. I will bring the points the Senator has made on behalf of the residents in Newbridge to the Minister."