IN MID-JUNE, thousands of people marched on the Dáil to ask the government to do more to help homeowners in Donegal and Mayo who had been impacted by defective mica building blocks.

This wasn’t the first time that mica had come to national attention – in 2014, the government launched a remediation scheme to help people whose homes had been affected by the mineral.

For the past month, the Good Information Project has been exploring housing issues across Ireland. One of these issues is mica, which can leave homes unstable, with huge visible cracks in walls.

This week on The Explainer our reporter Michelle Hennessy – who has been reporting on mica for a number of years – joins presenter Sinéad O’Carroll to explain more about this issue, and why homeowners are asking the government for help. 

Brian Whelan of the Good Information Project also joins the podcast to bring listeners up to date about its housing coverage. Visit this link to take a look at how TGIP has been tackling the huge topic of housing in Ireland.

The Explainer / SoundCloud

This episode was put together by presenter Sinéad O’Carroll, producers Aoife Barry and Nicky Ryan.

Making a difference

Our Explainer articles bring context and explanations in plain language to help make sense of complex issues. We're asking readers like you to support us so we can continue to provide helpful context to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.

Over 5,000 readers like you already have stepped up. For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make a difference.

Support us Learn More