EU Involvement

Defective Concrete Science in Ireland: Timeline & Evidence

This timeline provides a detailed overview of defective concrete in Ireland, combining scientific research, government action, and homeowner experiences. All references are included for verification.

2021

Homeowners in County Donegal affected by defective concrete came together to take a High Court case.

The case is led by Defective Blocks Ireland CLG, a not-for-profit set up by local homeowners, and is managed by Coleman Legal LLP.

The companies being sued include:

• Cassidy Brothers Concrete Products Ltd, Cassidy Brothers Topmix Ltd, and Cranford Concrete Products Ltd, who supplied and manufactured the concrete that is cracking and deteriorating in homes.

  Government and regulatory bodies are also named:

• Donegal County Council, responsible for local monitoring of building products, which is alleged to have failed to prevent unsafe blocks entering homes.
• National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), responsible for certifying products, which is alleged to have failed to enforce proper standards.

  At this stage, homeowners began joining the group litigation, initially at no cost. After July 2023, new participants could join by paying a once-off €500 fee to cover administrative and court costs.

  Sign up to join the case: Coleman Legal – Defective Blocks

December 2021

Homeowners and campaign representatives were invited to speak to the Committee on Petitions (a group within the European Parliament that listens to petitions from EU citizens). They explained that checks for construction products in Ireland focused mostly on completed buildings and did not prevent unsafe blocks from being used in the first place.

March 2022

The Committee on Petitions wrote to the Irish Government asking how EU rules on construction products (materials used to build homes and other buildings) were being enforced. In its reply, the Government said that market surveillance (checks to make sure products are safe before being sold or used) usually happened only after complaints were received, not before products reached the market.

This government statement showed that checks were reactive, not preventative, and became a key reference for later EU action.

March 2023

Homeowners and campaign representatives met senior officials at the European Commission (the EU body that checks if member states are following EU rules and can start legal action if needed) to explain the ongoing problems. The Commission asked for evidence showing the problem was widespread and still happening.

Late 2023

A delegation from the European Parliament visited Ireland from 30 October to 1 November 2023. The visit was organised because petitioners — mostly homeowners — had continued to provide evidence. The delegation met families, engineers, scientists, local officials, and national government representatives. They visited homes and community buildings to see the impact directly.

March 2024

The mission report was published on 19 March 2024. It described what the delegation observed in Ireland and was sent to the European Commission for review. Around the same time, formal complaints were submitted directly to the Commission by homeowners and legal teams supporting them.

July 2024

The European Commission opened infringement proceedings (a legal process used when a member state may not be following EU law) against Ireland. The Commission said Ireland had failed to properly carry out market surveillance of construction products, instead checking only after products were used in completed buildings. This was the first formal EU legal action regarding defective concrete in Ireland.

2024 to 2025

The infringement process continued. While it is confidential, discussions between the Commission and the Irish Government are ongoing. Homeowners and campaigners continued to provide evidence showing the problem was not limited to one region and affected newer homes as well.

Ongoing

The European Commission continues to assess whether Ireland’s response is enough. If not, the Commission can take further legal steps. The EU has also updated construction product rules to improve checks and reduce the risk of unsafe materials reaching the market in the future.

For families affected by defective concrete, EU involvement shows how homeowners themselves led the effort to get attention, gather evidence, and push for action, because national enforcement systems had not fully addressed the problem.