A cyberattack targeting Jennings O’Donovan, an Irish engineering firm involved in assessing applications for the government’s Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme, may have compromised the personal data of almost 700 homeowners affected by mica-related housing issues.
The Housing Agency confirmed it was informed of the “cyber incident” and described it as “concerning,” noting that the breach may have exposed sensitive information such as names, addresses, contact details, and photographs of damaged homes. Financial data, however, was reportedly stored on separate, unaffected systems.
Jennings O’Donovan said the breach involved “temporary unauthorized access to a limited part of our IT system.” The company stated it took immediate steps to isolate affected systems and launch an investigation with external cybersecurity experts. “Our measures ensured we successfully mitigated any disruption,” a spokesperson said, adding that “personal financial information remains secure.”
The Housing Agency emphasized that the breach was “isolated to one engineering company” and that it is working with Jennings O’Donovan to determine the full scope of the incident. Impacted applicants are being contacted directly, while those who have not received communication “are not affected by this cyber incident.” The Data Protection Commissioner and relevant local authorities have also been notified.
Charles Ward TD of the 100% Redress Party expressed concern over the attack, urging transparency from both the company and government. “Families entrusted highly sensitive information to this process, believing it would be handled with care,” Ward said. “They are entitled to full clarification on the nature of the compromised data and the steps being taken to safeguard it.”
The incident adds further strain to Ireland’s ongoing housing crisis, particularly in counties Donegal, Clare, Limerick, Mayo, and Sligo, where thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed due to defective blocks containing water-absorbing minerals.
