A sit-in protest by mica-affected homeowners at the Donegal County Council Public Services office in Carndonagh planned for tomorrow has been called off after campaigners said one of their main demands has been met.
Paddy Diver and the 100% Redress campaign had planned to occupy the building today but it was closed by Donegal County Council.
The campaigners said they would return tomorrow at noon in a show of "civil disobedience", demanding urgent action for the families whose homes are worst affected by crumbling blocks.
Mr Diver has called off the protest because, he said, an email had been received which will mean that about 20 families will receive the grant aid which will allow them to move out of their homes and into alternative accommodation be it a mobile home, a rented property or maybe a converted garage.
The email was sent on behalf of Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien and states that the grant of up to €15,000 for accommodation costs and the grant for storage costs of up to €5,000 will be made available next week for "a severely affected dwelling that has a Stage 1 or Stage 2 approval and is no longer habitable due to damage caused by the use of defective concrete blocks in its construction and needs to be vacated".
Mr Diver said that this was a "victory for people in dire straits and in dire need of accommodation and it's thanks to people pulling together."
Lisa Hone, Chairperson of the Donegal Mica Action Group, said they do not have the full details yet, but it is a step in the right direction.
She said it relates to the homes which are most severely affected and is a real step forward.
Meanwhile, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue, who is a Fianna Fáil TD for Donegal, has acknowledged that there is frustration in relation to the pace of the redress scheme.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland he said around 20 homes have been fully remediated so far in the county and around 40 homes are under construction in the county.
"We need to make sure that all of the applications in get expedited," he said.
