The Government has been warned that moulds are starting to form in Dublin’s historic homes after a spike in mould complaints, with more than 500 complaints about mould on the streets in the last two weeks.
The Government is investigating the problem and has called on people to report mould complaints and take action if they see it, Minister for Housing Simon Coveney said.
The Minister said that since the summer, more than 5,000 complaints about mold have been received, with a further 3,600 on the rise.
The problem is most acute in the North, where it has been reported in many buildings on St Patrick’s Day.
Minister Coveney said it was “extremely worrying” that mould had appeared on buildings such as the old St James’ Park, in the city’s east end, and in the offices of local councils.
He said there was no need to panic and warned against over-scrutiny.
“We’re just looking at it, and we’ve got to get the right people involved to get it resolved,” he said.
A spokesman for the National Heritage Council said the council is also working with local authorities and local authorities across the country to tackle the problem.
The council said the issue was a problem that could be resolved if mould was removed from buildings.
“However, the council has made clear that, while mould can be removed from properties, it is not recommended for the removal of the mold itself, and therefore it is imperative that people are aware that mould can occur on their property,” the spokesman said.
Mr Covenecy said the city council was working with the Department of Culture, Arts, Sport and the Gaeltacht to develop a strategy to tackle mould in the public space.
He added that the city would also look at the possibility of introducing the use of “architroves” for the use in public places.
He urged people to take responsibility for their home and to ensure they have a clean, safe and welcoming environment.
The National Heritage Commission said the problem could not be solved unless the building industry acted.
“It is essential that the building sector take immediate action to address this issue, and ensure that no further mould can develop in buildings,” it said.
Moulds are a serious problem in Ireland.
The State Council for the Environment (SCE) reported in May that there had been an increase of around 400 mould complaints a week over the past month.
There have been two major incidents in the same week, with two other complaints on St Peter’s Day and St Patrick and St Martin’s Day, with no new complaints since the first.
It has been revealed that there have been more than 50 complaints in the East End, in a town where more than 30,000 homes are being built.
On St Patrick Day, more mould was found in a building on the edge of the town.
On the same day, a number of complaints were received in an area of the city called the Old Town, where there were more than 20,000 buildings being built and most of them were in residential areas.
