‘IS 465 is a fraudulent standard because it was specifically designed to ignore pyrrhotite and internal sulphate attack, the scientifically proven cause of defective concrete and defective concrete products’ - Donegal County Councillor Frank McBrearty Jr
Homeowners in the North impacted by defective concrete blocks purchased in Donegal must be included in a Public Inquiry, according to a Donegal County Councillor.
Cllr Frank McBrearty (Independent) made his remarks following publication of the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s (NSAI) Revised Irish Standard (IS) 465, on Tuesday (June 2, 2026).
The controversial IS 465 included the standardised protocol for determining whether a building has been damaged by concrete blocks containing certain excessive amounts of mica.
Introduced on November 13, 2018, IS 465 was the gateway testing regime to the Irish Government’s initial 90/10 Redress Scheme, which opened in January 2020. IS 465 only applied to Donegal and only tested for mica in the county.
The revised standard has broadened its scope to include Internal Sulphate Attack (ISA) caused by reactive iron sulphides like pyrrhotite and pyrite. It also established updated methods for extracting core samples - including foundations - to accurately assess the full structural damage caused by these “devastating” minerals.
Following the NSAI revision, Cllr McBrearty has renewed his call for a Public Inquiry into the Defective Concrete Scandal, particularly the roles played by central government and local authorities.
“Such a Public Inquiry must also include home and property owners in Northern Ireland who are also affected by this defective concrete scandal,” said Cllr McBrearty. He added:
Homeowners in the North impacted by defective concrete blocks purchased in Donegal must be included in a Public Inquiry, according to a Donegal County Councillor.
Cllr Frank McBrearty (Independent) made his remarks following publication of the National Standards Authority of Ireland’s (NSAI) Revised Irish Standard (IS) 465, on Tuesday (June 2, 2026).
The controversial IS 465 included the standardised protocol for determining whether a building has been damaged by concrete blocks containing certain excessive amounts of mica.
Introduced on November 13, 2018, IS 465 was the gateway testing regime to the Irish Government’s initial 90/10 Redress Scheme, which opened in January 2020. IS 465 only applied to Donegal and only tested for mica in the county.
The revised standard has broadened its scope to include Internal Sulphate Attack (ISA) caused by reactive iron sulphides like pyrrhotite and pyrite. It also established updated methods for extracting core samples - including foundations - to accurately assess the full structural damage caused by these “devastating” minerals.
Following the NSAI revision, Cllr McBrearty has renewed his call for a Public Inquiry into the Defective Concrete Scandal, particularly the roles played by central government and local authorities.
“Such a Public Inquiry must also include home and property owners in Northern Ireland who are also affected by this defective concrete scandal,” said Cllr McBrearty. He added:
My own investigations and extensive research, following initial test results from my mother and father’s home which was structurally failing before our very eyes, led me to the conclusion I repeatedly expressed in Donegal County Council meetings and outside over the last five years - I.S. 465 was a fraudulent standard
It is a fraudulent standard because it was specifically designed to ignore pyrrhotite and internal sulphate attack, the scientifically proven cause of defective concrete and defective concrete products.
Blaming mica was a false flag, as I explained in my 2023 position paper: 'All Deleterious Materials and Sulphide Minerals Scandal: Republic of Ireland'. I have been vindicated [by the Revised IS 465].
The Raphoe councillor said:
It became very apparent from laboratory result analysis on my parents’ home from Petrolab in Cornwall, UK, that concentrating only on certain deleterious materials such as Free Muscovite Mica in Donegal and Reactive Pyrite in Mayo, has become a fatal flaw in the testing process originally set down in IS 465.
Firstly there was zero official oversight or regulation of quarries or concrete manufacturers or building contractors in the Republic, which led to thousands of homes, and other buildings, in Inishowen Municipal District (MD), Letterkenny/Milford MD, Lifford/Stranorlar MD and wider Donegal, built on defective concrete foundations, with defective concrete blocks, literally crumbling before the eyes of their owners,
Cllr McBrearty added:
This begs the question, why were the official standards governing the three stages in the production of concrete products not enforced by those in central and local government with the legal obligation to do so?
As we all know, there are three stages in the production of concrete products, each with an official standard to which it must legally adhere.
Aggregates used to manufacture concrete products must adhere to IS EN 12620 (governed by the National Standards Authority of Ireland) - the harmonised European Standard EN 12620 – and this standard does not contain or consider mica.
Ready-mix concrete must adhere to IS EN 206 (the Irish adoption of the European standard for concrete specification, performance, production, and conformity) and this standard does not contain or consider mica.
He added:
Finally, concrete blocks must adhere to IS EN 771-3 and this standard does not contain or consider mica,” he added. “Furthermore, I.S. 465 and now their renewed IS 465 cannot be used in any building development to test any concrete product. Only the standards above can be used and this is the starting basis for the much needed Public Inquiry.
Cllr McBrearty said:
Only a Public Inquiry can determine, why these Irish standards were not adhered to? Why was there no official oversight of quarries, concrete manufacturers or the construction industry? Why was mica fraudulently used as the basis for the Government’s two failed grant schemes (90/10 and Enhanced)? Why did I.S. 465 only test for mica, and only in Donegal?
In addition, it would pave the way for countries outside the Republic to possibly sue the State for selling defective concrete and products into Northern Ireland, Britain and Europe. We know there is wide-spread deterioration in some homes in Derry and Tyrone as a result of the use of defective Donegal concrete blocks and products.
The people responsible for the creation of I.S. 465 must be held to account. In addition, every homeowner who entered either grant schemes and was given any option other than full demolition has grounds for an appeal, now there is scientific evidence mica was not and is not the cause of defective concrete blocks or products.
“The test results from my father and mother’s home proved categorically its deterioration was due to internal sulphate attack on their blocks and internal and external sulphate attack on their foundations - not mica - therefore the removal and replacement of foundations needs to be included in any future redress scheme.
He added:
I believe a Public Inquiry should also examine the possible serious health effects on the people living in these homes, and resulting from dumped material from demolished homes to date. I feel these are being ignored by Donegal County Council.
⏩Catherine McGinty is a journalist covering the North West.
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