Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has said the impact of mica on farm structures is "something he will look at as minister" in the future.

But, the priority must be given to families and homeowners in Donegal and in parts of the northwest, he said, whose homes have been affected by defective concrete blocks that were used to build thousands of homes.

Acknowledging the anguish that the mica controversy has caused families, the agriculture minister said that there is a six-week process currently in place now to review the situation, in association with homeowners who are calling on government to implement a 100% redress scheme.

Commitment to full redress has not been forthcoming from government yet. When questioned yesterday at government buildings on the matter, Minister McConalogue - who is from Inishowen, where the majority of homes are impacted, said:

He said he believed that support is there from his Cabinet colleagues for this and that the best place for him to achieve the outcome that people want is to be present at the Cabinet table.

"I certainly will work towards getting the outcome that the homeowners deserve and need to get their lives back on track."When asked if he envisaged the redress scheme being extended to include farmers whose sheds and other farm buildings have also been impacted, Minister McConalogue said:

"Certainly, if there are issues emerging in relation to agricultural buildings, then that is something that can be looked at following on from the current process," he said.