BUSINESSES across Co Donegal intend closing tomorrow to allow staff to attend a Mica brick redress protest march in Dublin.
Campaigners expect numbers attending the march to Leinster House to surpass the 10,000 who took part in a similar protest march and rally in June.
Protesters are angry at the Irish government’s failure to cover the entire cost of damage to thousands of homes in Counties Donegal and four other counties which were built with defective brickwork and are now crumbling.
More than 5,000 houses have been classed as “at risk” because they were built with defective Mica blocks. Mica muscovite mineral dust used in the blocks causes cement to crumble when exposed to moisture. The result has been huge cracks and holes in houses, forcing some owners to abandon their homes.
While homes throughout five counties have been affected, the problem has been most severe in the Inishowen area. A draft report by an Irish government working group last week estimated the total cost of redress to Irish tax payers could be as high as €3.2 billion (£2.7 billion). However, Mica homeowners are furious that the report did not recommend 100 per cent redress.
Campaigners had hoped an Irish government redress scheme would be announced before the Republic’s budget next week. However, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney told the Dáil on Tuesday a compensation scheme would be presented to the government in several weeks. He said the scheme would be one of the largest financial support packages ever announced in Ireland.
Mica Action Group (MAG) spokesman, Michael Doherty said tomorrow’s protest was needed to show the government that the campaign was as strong as ever.
Mr Doherty said protesters needed “feet on the street”.
“Everything we have done up to now means nothing if we’re not showing a massive, massive show of strength on Friday,” Mr Doherty said.
One of the businesses which has announced plans to close tomorrow is the Borderland clothing company in Muff which draws customers from all over Northern Ireland. In a social media post, the firm said 50 per cent of its staff were directly affected. Tank and Skinney’s restaurants said it was closing its outlets in Buncrana, Muff, Letterkenny and Limavady to let staff travel to the protest.
A Tank and Skinney’s spokesman said: “We, our family, friends, neighbours and staff have been affected by the devastation of Mica. Our staff and ourselves are going to Dublin to march for equality.”
The campaign has also attracted support across Ireland with high profile figures joining in. Donegal singer Daniel O’Donnell called on the Irish government to “end the nightmare and do what’s right”.
Mr O’Donnell said: “I think that these people have suffered enough and their lives have been on hold long enough and it’s time to end the nightmare that they have lived through and are living through.”
Tomorrow’s protest will start at the Garden of Remembrance (12noon) before making its way to Leinster House.
