First, I want to thank the Ceann Comhairle for facilitating me in bringing this very important matter before Dáil Éireann.
The story of the defective chimneys in 105 houses at Abbey Quarter, Sligo, is a saga in itself. It is also a scandal, by far the most serious that I have come across in my time in public life. The houses were built by the National Building Agency for Sligo Corporation 15 years ago. The chimneys were quite obviously monstrously defective in construction, and probably in design. They were simply fire hazards in waiting and they very quickly manifested themselves as such on a continuous basis. We should remember that ten of the houses were built specially for old and disabled persons. Now, 15 years later, the chimneys and the fire hazards remain.
The chimneys are what are technically knows as "transfer chimneys", with four angled bends. They were so bad that the borough engineer in 1985 — maybe long before that — officially stated: "It appears that a potentially dangerous fire situation now exists in this estate and accordingly I now recommend that the tenants in the estates involved be informed not to use chimneys until this matter is resolved by the National Building Agency". No wonder the borough engineer took that action.
A report from the engineer's department in 1985 states in regard to one street alone, Carroll Drive: No. 2, smoke from next door; No. 3 defective chimney; No. 4, defective chimney; No. 5, smoke from No. 6; No. 6, suspected no parging to flue; No. 7, smoke through meter box; No. 9, suspected no parging to flue; No. 11, suspected no parging to flue; No. 12, suspected no parging to flue; No. 27, defective chimney, and so on. The case was the same with all the other streets involved.
These defects led to continuous fires, fire alerts, smoke billowing into the rooms and pollution. The smoke was not necessarily where the fire was but maybe in upstairs rooms, or, as often as not, in a room in the house next door. I have not got a complete record, but I know that in a one year period in this small estate the fire brigade were called out on eight occasions to deal with serious fires. Of course there were many smaller fires with smoke and pollution on a continuous basis. The chief fire officer warned that any chimney which allows the products of combustion to escape into a dwelling or indeed an adjoining dwelling would have to be considered unsafe and should not be used.
All of this led to a letter from the county manager to the National Building Agency to state that he had evidence that the chimney defects had been caused by poor standards of workmanship originally. He also said that unless he got a quick response he was going to refer the matter to the Minister for the Environment to arrange a public inquiry. Despite all this nothing was happening on the ground to put the whole thing right. Reaction to one very had fire and the persistent work of one resident, Michael Gillen, as well as the local development association brought public protests. In fairness to the Minister, he finally met a deputation and promised that he would fund repairs.
Funding is being made available for refurbishment, but the arrangements are unsatisfactory and unacceptable. The present plans are for the building of a new chimney, but leaving the defective chimney in place — in other words, two chimneys on the one fireplace, with one leading nowhere. The bishop, Dr. Conway, has generously offered to pay for a leading structural engineer to draw up plans for the residents.
On the funding, only the houses still in the ownership of Sligo Corporation are to get full funding for the work. Various tenant purchase houses will get only 50 per cent. These are houses bought from the Corporation without full knowledge as to the extent of the defective chimneys. Even in a private transaction this would be regarded as sharp practice and I think the Minister will accept that it is unacceptable for a public body. Full funding should be provided for all and, in addition, compensation for the expense and costs incurred as a result of the defects over a 15 year period.
What will happen to the purchasers if they do not have the money to repair these houses? Are they to continue to live in houses they bought from the Corporation which are a continuous fire hazard? On the instructions of the Minister the people having the repairs carried out have to sign an indemnity against legal action arising from the condition of the existing chimneys. This is a totally unacceptable imposition and is against natural justice. I do not believe it would stand up in court. Finally, I believe that if there ever was a case for a public inquiry this is one, and the county manager indicated as much in 1988.
