New party formed by defective block campaigners considering Dáil run after securing four council seats in Donegal

A new political party set up by campaigners calling for 100% redress for people living in homes with defective blocks, has secured four seats on Donegal County Council.

The 100% Redress party, which contested six seats in the county, has said it will now consider standing in the forthcoming Irish general election.

The party was formed last year by a number of groups in Donegal, campaigning around the thousands of homes crumbling because of blocks containing high levels of the mineral mica, which absorbs water and causes walls to crack and crumble.

Ali Farren, who topped the poll in the Carndonagh local electoral area (LEA) with 2,253 votes, described the vote secured by the party as “powerful”.

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“Hopefully when we get elected we’ll be a voice,” he said.

“We can drive things on from here. We will have a voice at the table, and that’s the most important thing.”

In total, 100% Redress was on course to take more than 7,000 first preference votes in Co Donegal.

Mr Farren said the upcoming Irish general election, which could take place before the end of the year, will now be on the agenda.

“The Redress party will be looking at the numbers, we will be thinking about it, and we might have a look at going to Dublin,” he said.

“For a young party that only started last year, we are a work in progress. We are a small acorn at the moment.”

Limavady native Joy Beard, who co-founded the 100% Redress party last year, was also elected on the first count, taking 1,587 first preference votes.

She said her priority will be setting up an information hub for those affected by the scandal and lobbying for modular homes.

“This is a crisis. These homes are really unsafe and unhealthy, so we need to get these families out of these homes and into temporary accommodation.”

The new party’s representation increased to four seats late on Sunday night when Denis McGee was elected without reaching the quota in the Glenties LEA, while Tomás Seán Devine secured enough transfers to win a seat in the Letterkenny LEA.