Councillor Beard urges emergency guidance for defective‑block homes

Councillor Joy Beard of the 100% Redress Party has criticised the Government’s “Be Emergency Ready” booklet for omitting specific advice for households living in structurally unsafe defective‑block homes.

Beard said she raised the issue directly with Minister for Defence Helen McEntee, sending correspondence to the Department of Defence and the Office of Emergency Planning that requested dedicated guidance for affected families, including practical steps for storm preparation and safe evacuation.

In her letters, Beard highlighted concerns about deteriorating walls, heavy concrete floors, bison slabs and roof structures, and asked for advice on responding to structural movement, falling material, emergency evacuation, accommodation support and the emotional impact on residents.

She warned that general preparedness advice does not suit families whose homes are unsafe, noting that “when people are advised to stay at home, what happens when home is the very place they are afraid to be?” Beard called for a Donegal County Council emergency plan with a database for residents to register contact details, enabling direct communication before severe weather arrives.

Beard is also urging the establishment of pre‑arranged safe accommodation, an out‑of‑hours contact number and clear funding arrangements, especially for older people, children, those with disabilities and households without transport.

The councillor is pressing the Minister for Defence and the Office of Emergency Planning to issue targeted supplementary guidance and to support Donegal County Council in delivering a funded response.

Source: Donegal Daily. Photo: Markus Winkler / Pexels.