Mika: Political party founded on construction scandal wins election

A tiny party born out of a building scandal has challenged big names in local elections in the Republic of Ireland – and won a seat.

The 100% Reparations Party’s “accidental politicians” won four seats in rural Donegal.

They are demanding better compensation for the many people whose homes are collapsing because they were built with faulty mica blocks.

Encouraged by this result, they are now considering running for seats in the Irish Parliament in the upcoming general election.

Many houses in counties Donegal, Mayo, Clare and Limerick have collapsed because the blocks used to build them contain high amounts of a mineral called mica, which absorbs water and causes cracks in the walls.

The government’s mica compensation scheme, first announced in November 2021, is currently capped at €420,000, putting the total cost to the state exchequer at €2.2 billion.

But Ali Farren, from the 100% Compensation Party, said there should be no cap on the scheme.

He ran for the party in the Carndonagh constituency and was elected in the first round of voting at the weekend.

Her party colleagues Joy Beard won in Buncrana and Denise McGehee won in Glenties.

Thomas Sean Devine ran for the party in the Letterkenny constituency and was elected on Monday night.

“When someone tops the polls it sends a message,” Mr Farren told BBC Radio Foyle’s North West Today programme on Monday morning.

The party is focused on one issue, “which is [people] “To the other side of the county.”

“I knew the problems in North Inishowen. [in Donegal] “It was bad,” he said.

“But when we started going door to door, we realised the situation was very bad.

“This is an issue that affects one in two or three homes in this area.”

Mr Farren owns a house in Malin Head, Co Donegal, which is slated for demolition because of mica-affected blocks.

He and his party colleagues have their eyes set on even bigger goals, including an Irish parliament.

“We would certainly consider looking at candidates going to Dublin because that’s the place to go,” Farren said.

“That’s where change can happen.”

The 100% Compensation Party was formed late last year.

At the time, Ali Farren said they would initially nominate candidates in the Donegal area but would then reach out to groups in the other 14 counties where defective blocks are an issue.

The Irish Government’s mica compensation scheme is currently limited to a maximum of €420,000, bringing the total cost to the Treasury to €2.2 billion.

But the party argues that the compensation scheme needs to go further and cover the full rebuilding costs of homes that have to be demolished.

Farren owns a house in Malin Head, County Donegal, which is also at risk of demolition.

He says he would face losses of between 50,000 and 100,000 euros under the terms of the current Mica compensation scheme, which he describes as “neither fair nor just”.

“In South Inishowen it wasn’t actually a vote for Ali Farren or Joy Beard, it was 100 per cent a vote for the Reparations Party,” Mr Farren said.

“The six of us running for office only happened to be politicians by chance.

“We’re just people who bought defective concrete and that’s how it ended up.”

He added: “I’m just a small business owner who works in the local community.

“Dennis McGee is the guy who puts drywall on ceilings.

“Three weeks ago he was doing drywall work and now he’s a city council member.

“Thomas Devine is a lawn mower and road sweeper.

“So we’re just ‘Joe Soap.'”

“But we’re not stupid, so we’ll learn pretty quickly.”

“At this point, we have voters who have given us a voice,” Farren said. [mica redress] Plans that are not fit for purpose.

“People can’t ride it. They can’t even get the assistance to ride it.”

“Ultimately, we will work to provide a better system.”

Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin said he was not worried that the success of 100% Reparations in Donegal would affect support for his party.

A Fianna Fáil source told BBC News NI there were fears that current MP and Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue could lose his seat at the next general election due to local discontent over the Government’s compensation scheme.

Mr Martin said the compensation scheme currently on offer was “comprehensive”.

“There is frustration over delays, but it’s widespread,” he said.

“We evaluate performance in different countries.”

He added that Mr McConalogue is not worried about losing his seat at the next general election.