The Housing Agency refused to release information to homeowners affected by the defective block crisis – classifying social media criticism and news reporting as “threats” that “endanger life or safety”.
The agency invoked the section of the Freedom of Information Act that allows authorities to withhold information when disclosure could "endanger the life or safety of any person" to deny homeowners access to information about downgraded remediation options for their houses.
“These decisions lack basic engineering principles – but when we question them our information requests are denied," said affected homeowner Marti McElhinney. "We're clearly being punished for daring to criticise the process."
Last year The Ditch reported that a Housing Agency official suggested an engineering company downgrade its assessment of a property after withholding evidence of severe structural damage that warranted the highest level of redress available under the state defective blocks scheme.
After homeowners challenged initial refusals based on "personal information" exemptions, the Housing Agency switched to claiming security threats and hostile communications sent by homeowners.
'We suffer for this'
The Housing Agency claimed social media posts questioning its handling of evidence and downgraded assessments were dangerous communications.
Social media posts cited as potential threats included statements such as, "We suffer for this. Lives in limbo. Victimised and made to feel like top tier criminals by the @HousingAgencyIE, just for looking for the truth" and questions about why pyrrhotite evidence wasn't considered in assessments.
Another post considered dangerous said, "We want to know why the @HousingAgencyIE did not consider Pyrrhotite though directed to by @DarraghOBrienTD? All Downgrade decisions are legally flawed. This is injustice. This is Malpractice.”
Several emails from homeowners to the Housing Agency were also deemed threatening, including one directing insults at officials, but qualified with, “Please don't for a moment think that we're threatening your physical wellbeing, but your professional reputation is about to be blown apart.”
Records also reveal that The Ditch's reporting on the defective blocks scheme has been classified by the Housing Agency as "hostile communications".
Meanwhile purchase orders show the agency spent more than €5,000 on surveillance equipment for its Donegal offices in November 2024 as it increased use of the "endangerment" exemption.
Marti McElhinney, an affected homeowner and Downgraded Homeowners Group spokesperson, told The Ditch that ordinary criticism is now being used to punish affected residents.
"Downgraded homeowners were simply calling out a lack of transparency around the decisions to downgrade our homes from demolition to cheaper, partial remediation options," she said.
The Housing Agency has been contacted for comment.
