Description

Charles Ward TD presented a summary of the findings of a recent Ulster University survey looking at how the defective blocks crisis is affecting the mental health of homeowners

Period18 Feb 2025 → 19 Feb 2025

Media coverage

2

Media coverage

  • TitleImpact of DCB crisis on mental health is outlined in the Dail
    Degree of recognitionRegional
    Media name/outletHighland Radio
    Media typeRadio
    Country/TerritoryIreland
    Date19/02/25
    URLhttps://highlandradio.com/2025/02/19/impact-of-dcb-crisis-on-mental-health-is-outlined-in-the-dail/
    PersonsOisin Keenan, Karen Kirby, Paul Dunlop, Rachel McHugh, Eileen Doherty, Jamie Murphy
  • TitleStatements on Mental Health
    Degree of recognitionNational
    Media name/outletOireachtas - Statements on Mental Health
    Media typeOther
    Country/TerritoryIreland
    Date18/02/25
    DescriptionDáil Éireann debate - Tuesday, 18 Feb 2025 - quote:
    "There is a severe mental health crisis in Donegal which only continues to get worse as the defective concrete crisis continues to impact families across our county. New scientific mental health research conducted by the University of Ulster surveyed 393 families living in defective concrete homes across Ireland. The findings were devastating but not surprising. The research found that more than a third of individuals have experienced thoughts of suicide after being affected by defective concrete. A total of 15.5% of the response meets the criteria of complex post-traumatic stress disorder, which is twice as high as the level among the general population in Ireland. Some 30.4% of respondents reported severe levels of depression, a rate nearly three times higher than that among the national population. Some 26.2% have reported severe levels of anxiety, which is nearly four times higher than the Irish general population. The rates of these mental health issues are similar to, and in some cases even higher than, those seen following natural disasters, such as displaced populations, earthquakes, refugees and flooding.

    The independent scientific evidence confirms defective concrete homeowners are significantly psychologically stressed or, at worst, clinically traumatised. The Minister of State must address this current and very threatening ongoing situation for families living in such distressed states. The defective concrete crisis is one that affects more than bricks and mortar. It affects families, marriages and people's physical and mental health."
    Producer/AuthorCharles Ward TD
    URLhttps://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2025-02-18/16/
    PersonsOisin Keenan, Karen Kirby, Paul Dunlop, Rachel McHugh, Eileen Doherty, Jamie Murphy