About the Redress Focus Groups
The Redress Focus Groups was formed in January 2023 by a group of 4 defective block homeowners, including Roisin Gallagher and Brenda Tierney Joyce.
The initial aim was to create a support network for homeowners, but with the firm belief we had to come together and all play a part in our futures. This quickly grew to what became the Redress Focus Groups – 10 individual groups that all focus on major issues within the defective blocks crisis and the practical and emotional shortfalls of it.
As a support network we are not affiliated to any political party, but are here to support all affected property owners. We are not part of the the Mica Action Group, who are dealing with the Scheme and the Government directly.
We all have a voice.
We can all contribute when we feel we want to and we can work together to make change happen.
Ideas & Solutions
Redress Focus Groups provide a platform/base for people with similar expertise, skills, knowledge and interests to get together in one group and focus on a specific area within the Defective Blocks crisis.
Before Redress Focus Groups there was nowhere for us to bring our ideas and possible solutions. Now we have a place where everyone with an idea, an interest, experience, skills and knowledge can come together and work through ideas to make them become a reality.
Resolving Issues
There are currently 10 groups working to resolve 10 different issues. Each group works together brainstorming ideas and planning how to go about making these ideas a reality.
This could involve contacting local representatives, various departments, ministers, working together with local companies and organisations etc., whatever the members of each group feel needs to happen to help resolve the issue they are dealing with.
Public Support Meetings
Any ideas, initiatives and solutions will be entirely the group’s own work. When a group wants to update us all with any progress or news they’d like to make public, this is communicated through our Media and Marketing team to upload on to the website and throughout our social media pages. Any enquires from media are directed to the team who will work together with the group on this. You can get in touch with the team HERE or at info@redressfocusgroups.ie
We also have time to hear any updates groups might have at our public support meetings which are held every 6 weeks. These updates can be given by your group or read out on your groups behalf. There is no pressure on anyone to speak. RFG – Making Change Happen Together!
Making Change Happen Together
The issues needing addressed are many, huge and urgent so this initiative will be ongoing for as long as it takes over the years ahead. It is an overwhelming feat to conquor the size of a crisis like this but at Redress Focus Groups we believe this is a way we can all take back control of our fate. We all have a voice. We can all contribute when we feel we want to and we can all work together to make the changes that we need happen.
We have made an enormous amount of progress so far which you can read about here. So we have proven this model is working. This crisis belongs to the people. It is the people who have always been the ones to achieve any progress that has been achieved by their determination even in the face of the chronic stress of living in crumbling homes. We didnt put ouselves in this mess, but together, we can pull ourselves out of it.
Donegal Images, Credit: Donal Kearney
Redress Focus Groups Committee
| Founder & Chairperson | Roisín Gallagher |
| Vice Chairperson | Peter Fox |
| Secretary | Karen Hamilton |
| Vice Secretary | Geraldine Fitzpatrick |
| Treasurer | Margaret Patton Plunkett |
| Volunteer Coordinator | Libby Mimnagh |
| Social Media Coordinator | Jess Harkin |
So what is the Defective Concrete Crisis?
Over a decade ago, a crisis quietly emerged in Ireland, one that has profoundly impacted thousands of homeowners. During this period, many homes were constructed using concrete blocks, which, unbeknownst to residents at the time, contained materials susceptible to a destructive process called internal sulphate attack, due to pyrite and pyrrhotite. This crisis has caused homes to deteriorate so badly some are already uninhabitable with thousands more rapidly following this fate.
Homeowners, in their unwavering determination, launched tireless campaigns to uncover the truth. Contrary to initial assumptions, scientific evidence has proven it’s not mica but much more destructive sulphates that are responsible for the damage.
Despite clear solutions being available, the Irish Government’s resistance to take action has transformed this initially manageable issue into a humanitarian crisis. Today, it affects tens of thousands of homeowners and communities across over 14 counties in Ireland, and even Northern Ireland in the UK now grapples with this.
It’s a crisis that urgently requires supports and resolution to protect the well-being of those affected.
And What Are the Redress Focus Groups?
The Redress Focus Groups were created by homeowners in Donegal in January 2023. With an acute awareness and foresight in to the enormity of this crisis we knew that it would take an army of people to come together to help fix it. Breaking the crisis down in to its many issues meant the right people with the same skillsets would be able to come together so thats what we did and from there began, the Redress Focus Groups.
Through Redress Focus Groups we believe that by coming together in the groups, working on the many issues we are faced with and attending our regular in-person meetings, we can Make Change Happen, Together. We can take back control of our fate. We have a voice. We can contribute when we feel we can. We can empower each other, encourage each other and support each other. We have made an enormous amount of progress in the short time we have been in operation, which you can read about HERE. Imagine what we will have achieved in another 9 months from now. We are Making Change Happen Together and in doing so we can change the course of our futures and the futures of our children.
This crisis belongs to the people. It is the people who have always achieved any progress so far through their sheer determination, all while under the chronic stress that comes with living through a slow moving disaster. We didn’t put ourselves in this mess, but together, we can pull ourselves out of it.
Vision Statement
Redress Focus Groups envisions a community where property owners affected by the defective blocks crisis in Donegal are empowered and supported in addressing the practical and emotional challenges we face.
We strive for a future where property owners take the lead in their futures, our children's futures and the future of Donegal so that we regain confidence in our properties, find resolution to the issues, and rebuild our lives resiliently with renewed hope and security.
At Redress Focus Groups, we stand united with the Defective block -affected community, providing them with a supportive network, a platform for collective action, and a beacon of hope.
Together, we work towards a future where justice is served, homes are safe, and the voices of those impacted by the Defective Block Crisis are heard and respected.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Redress Focus Groups is to empower and facilitate property owners affected by the defective blocks crisis in Donegal.
Through collaborative efforts, we aim to provide a platform for homeowners to bring forward and share experiences, knowledge, and resources, enabling them to tackle the 10 major practical and emotional issues they encounter.
Our mission is to advocate for fair and comprehensive solutions, secure support services, and drive positive change in policies and regulations.
By fostering a supportive community, we seek to provide a trusting and supportive place, empowering individuals, and promote the well-being and resilience of homeowners impacted by the defective blocks crisis.