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AN ENHANCED SCHEME for homeowners affected by the Mica controversy is set to go to Cabinet the week after next, with a possible new redress cap of up to €400,000 per home.
Government sources are keen to stress that there has been no agreement, stating that discussions are still underway.
Campaigners want a scheme to help families whose homes have been destroyed or damaged by mica, a mineral that can absorb water, due to building blocks cracking and crumbling.
The Government has faced criticism for only offering 90% under the current redress scheme, leaving property owners with significant bills to repair or rebuild homes.
Campaigners have blamed a lack of building regulations and oversight of materials.
It is believed that a cap of approximately €400,000 will ultimately be agreed upon.
The sticking point in government now is how the redress scheme will be paid for, with sources stating that Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is concerned about the overall costs.
Donohoe is understood to have a “hit list” of areas where a possible levy, tax or charge will be applied to pay for the compensation scheme, which could reach €3.2 billion in total.
“Ultimately we will have to pay for it all directly or indirectly,” said one source who indicated that there will be a need for a levy, tax or charge to help pay for the redress scheme.
It is understood that the view of government is that the “many will pay for the few”, but that this has to be done in order to have a humanitarian response to the crisis the families find themselves in.
The thinking in government circles is the bill of around €3.2 billion is “too big” to find the money from elsewhere.
Sources state that there is a need to re-establish the idea that things have to be paid for, particularly with the fiscal emergency measures for Covid coming to an end.
An estimated 5,000 homes in Co Donegal are affected by defective bricks, with thousands more understood to be in counties Sligo, Clare and Limerick.
As the discussions around 100% redress continue, it is understood there is concern that general public might think a flat €400,000 per home might be “too much”, given the scale of a home that could be built in Donegal and other counties for that sum of money.
It’s understood that one solution being discussed might be a limit on the square footage of a new-build under the scheme.
The three coalition party leaders are keen to find a solution that will be acceptable to most people even if it’s not acceptable to everyone, it is understood.
Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh has warned that he is willing to walk away from the party if the government presents a “half-baked” mica redress scheme.
Speaking to Highland, McHugh said he realised there would be “consequences” if he refused to support to Government’s new redress scheme.
“I won’t be standing over a scheme that proved in the past to be a scheme that was half-baked,” he said.
“If we don’t get that right, I won’t be supporting that scheme. Obviously, that has consequences for me.”
The Taoiseach told Today FM this morning that “when government signs off and makes a decision on this, it will be a very comprehensive solution for people”.
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Sun columnist…..
*Stops reading.
I have made a decision to ignore this person. I suggest everybody else should do the same. She an unhealthy irritant best forgotten about.
Very true. She is a dose
Can we please stop giving this sewer rat attention?
Only opened this article to say that!!
Sewer rats worldwide rising up in ignominy …
If I start saying stupid nasty sh!t to get attention will the media report everything I say too?
For the LOVE of humanity Ignore this muppet!
What I find interesting about this woman is she has a voice. what does that say about us. why does she have a voice in the media. I mean if no one actually wanted to hear her she wouldn’t.
No problem Katie. In the interest of your obvious need for self promotion and attention seeking, let’s send one round to yours. Lead by example and give us all a break. That way you can ensure the infamy you desire and at the same time relieve us all of your bullcrap. Win win!
She has an autistic son and she herself suffers from extreme epilepsy, which results in her being often hospitalised. Where do you draw the line if you don’t object to gassing old people??
She’s a troll, nothing more. One day she’s going to say something that will have repercussions.
what a twonk!
Shame on Daragh Brophy for reporting this dribble!
What’s she got against the youth in Asia anyway?
Did you read the article? She supports youth in Asia.
Another publicity stunt but and I bet she will not be so keen when she gets older as we all do and it comes pretty fast too.
I actually have no clue where this turd got shat from. She just suddenly seemed to be in the news.
Concentration camps started out as euthanasia vans for old and mentally ill people. Granted against their will. It quickly lead to Nazis looking for more efficient and effective ways to murder. This woman is an idiot
I wonder would she give us a demonstration on how they work !
Do liberals not love the idea of euthanasia? I would have thought this idea would appeal to leftist’s and their acolytes in the media.
Oh shut up! I can’t stand that American talk.
Eh do people not realise this isn’t actually Enoch Burke? Its just someone trying to get a rise by being as stupid and annoying as the real one? Just ignore it and it will go away.
No it’s not actually Enoch Burke and never was but people told me I was so often that I began to believe it.
You seem to have gone to the trouble of setting up an account to act troll fantasies. Mind your mental health, lad. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-online-secrets/201409/internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists
Scarr is your real name then I take it? Or just a big Lion King fan?
I agree. We never referred to people as lefties or Rightys unless we meant what hand they wrote with. Way too much influence coming from America. It should be the other way around. Half of them think the world is 6000 years old. Hardly a good basis for looking up too.
Big difference between an alias account and a troll account.
They can start with euthanising her. Everyone wins!
If this fool is ever sitting in doctors surgery it’ll be at the business side of the desk, probably at an appointment for cosmetic surgery. As for being “super-keen on euthanasia”, lead by example please.
Her face is enough to make me think about euthanasia.
She looks about 60 and the site of her neck would turn your stomach.
I wonder how much RTE pay this clown to appear on the LLS.
And she was totally pissed too, totally unprofessional.
If only cannistan cream worked on this irritation
Soylent green.
Kill disabled, etc is it?
Mmmmm Soylent green
YAAAWWWNNNN.
You just know when a person comes out with such a statement, that they are pretty irrelevant….
Love it if they called for Katie
Love how she manages to troll people time and again.
I think she’s awesome.
It’s a disgrace these articles about this woman are published!
Love it if they called for Katie!!
Gary Glitter is dead keen on the the youth in Asia vans too.
I would only support euthanasia vans if Katie Hopkins was first in the queue
Hopkins u are in dire need of a labotomy
She is some pain why the press feel the need to,publicise anything about her is beyond maybe if e ignore her she will go away
have your say