Councillor tells of ‘anguish’ as elderly parents forced from crumbling home

“You have to make sure the sleeping arrangements, like, especially when you have dementia, it’s a big upheaval any small change so that’s what is concerning most of us.”

Farren said the experience had also been emotional for the wider family.

“Even our grandchildren that was all there helping with the move, you could see the anguish, the emotion that they could feel for for their granny and their granddad as well.”

Farren said the impact of defective concrete blocks was being felt across Donegal and the Republic of Ireland.

“We have a lot of people with defective houses and I’m one of them and my sister.”

He said his family had already experienced the impact of moving his sister from her defective home.

“We moved our sister in December from her house and that was emotional, but when you’re moving, when you’re moving your parents elderly, you know, there’s a lot more goes in to moving parents who are elderly.”

Farren said he was not embarrassed to speak publicly about his family’s experience.

“I’m a public person I’m not one bit embarrassed to say my parents have a defective house because my mother and father done nothing wrong they just bought concrete products that was unregulated within the state.”

He warned that without stronger testing measures, the same problem could happen again.

“We could be doing the exact same thing again and in 20 years, whoever has that house might have to toss it if we don’t use products that are fit for purpose.”

BBC News NI has contacted the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in the Republic of Ireland for comment.