Sinn Féin MEP for the Midlands Northwest, Chris MacManus, has said an upcoming EU vote is a crucial opportunity to give the Irish government a wake-up call about the flaws in the latest defective concrete block scheme.

The vote will place in the European Parliament Committee on Petitions on Tuesday March 19th. 

It concerns a report following a delegation of MEPs including MacManus who visited Donegal as part of a fact-finding mission on the use of defective blocks. 

MacManus said:

“Homeowners who have been affected by the scandal of defective concrete blocks feel badly let down by government. They must be treated fairly and their concerns must be listened to. I am determined to stand up for these homeowners and ensure that their concerns are acted on. 

“I along with a number of MEP colleagues attended a fact-finding mission of the European Parliament late last year. As a result of this visit the European Parliament Committee on Petitions has drafted a report on the defective blocks scandal. There have been a number of amendments added to this report by a number of groups in the European Parliament, including the Left Group, of which Sinn Féin are members. 

“The vote which will take place Tuesday morning is a huge opportunity to give the Irish government a wake up call on the serious limitations of this latest defective concrete block scheme and to finally deliver a genuine 100% redress scheme .

“The entire country has been outraged by the treatment of our families living in defective concrete block homes. Their pursuit of justice and 100% redress is something we in Sinn Féin fully support and it is my hope that the European Parliament Committee on Petitions vote through a progressive report on Tuesday.

“I will continue to fight for the homeowners affected to ensure that they are treated fairly.”