Donegal children to protest over mica issue at Dáil

Group of 50 children to hand in letters describing effects of defective blocks on their lives

Children from Co Donegal whose family homes are affected by crumbling mica blocks are to protest outside the Dáil on Wednesday.

Up to 50 children from schools across the county will converge on the gates of Leinster House. From both primary and secondary schools, they want to have their voices heard.

They have all written letters telling their own personal stories.

Some of their homes have had to be demolished already while others say they hear the cracks going through the walls at night when they are in bed.

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The children will describe how the defective blocks which were used to build their houses have caused them so much hardship at such young ages.

They will gather at the gates of Leinster House at 11.30am and hand their letters in.

The mica action group is demanding that various politicians including Taoiseach Micheál Martin come out and speak to them.

A spokesperson for the group said “These children are being ignored and their voices are not getting heard.

"We have written to Minister for Children Roderic O Gorman, Minister for Education Norma Foley and to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan requesting they meet these children at the gates of the Dáil to accept their letters.

“It is time for our government to listen to the voices of our mica children. It is time to stop ignoring the future generation of our county and our country.”

The Government is currently considering demands by thousands of affected homeowners for a 100 per cent redress scheme.