Episode 4 In Your Corner

Hello, I'm Wendy Austin and this is Hello, tonight we are broadcasting

from just outside Belfast at Museum at the Mill in Newtownabbey. It is

part of the council's new premises at Mossley Mill and celebrates the

links with the mutt -- linen trade. We have been setting up and

preparing for this evening's programme. Last week it was

Cookstown and next it is Enniskillen to try and bring

resolution to the issues you care about. This week we are not like

because of the Bank Holiday, but continued to get in touch with us

by e-mail. You can follow was on Facebook or you can free jazz. --

Twitter as. 2000 people in Northern Ireland

have muscular dystrophy. Are we feeling then? May help minister

will be here to answer questions. -- the Health Minister. And we have

been asking shoppers for their top saving tips.

First, we have been out on the road again. This week, you have been

looking at asbestos? Until 1999, asbestos was regarded as a

versatile building block in the construction industry, something in

virtually every new home. We now know it is dangerous. I have spoken

to a Fermanagh woman, who has been left high and dry since she bought

her home from the Housing Executive I am looking at an e-mail from duty

in Enniskillen who is telling us harsh job she was to find asbestos

in the kitchen of the home sheet bought from Housing Executive 12

years ago. At the point of sale the Executive did not mention it. They

said they did not know which homes had it until they conducted a

survey. That is what upsets duty. Even when the asbestos was found in

homes in her street, no one from the Housing Executive knocked her

front door. This two-storey house in Enniskillen was the family home

from 1985. She bought a house in 2000, after her mother's death, was

totally unaware of the asbestos risk until November last year.

had a Bill to come round and it was uncovered under the sink. You

cannot open that, so I wanted a cupboard. The builder was knocking

that out and I helped him carried appeases outside. He said, have you

got a tap? That is dangerous stuff. I said, what you mean? He said,

that is asbestos. This house was built in the 1970s at a time when

the use of asbestos was widespread. Last November, Judy was left alone

to be with a hazardous waste found in her kitchen. -- to deal with.

iPhone Housing Executive and said this has been discovered. I was not

sure if it was anywhere else in the house. He said, the building plans

do not have them any more. After 10 years they are destroyed. She says

she was met with a brick wall at the Housing Executive. She raised

concerns in November last year but says the Executive responded by

telling her they had no legal responsibility to tell her there

was asbestos in her home. In a letter to her solicitor, she said

she was basically told to take a problem elsewhere. So she left home

until a licence contractor can be hard to assess the risk and remove

the asbestos. We are meeting someone with 27 years' experience

of assessing the risks of asbestos on site. Asbestos is a naturally

occurring silicate rock and was mind include those like South

Africa. It was manufactured into a number of product. It was widely

used because of its thermal insulation properties. Properties

that were built before 1990, asbestos was fairly widely used.

What are the dangers to the work man who comes into the house and

rails into something that contains asbestos? It would depend on the

tide of asbestos. There are some types that the Matrix tightly bind

the asbestos fibres, so that the release is low. Any type and

drilling, cutting or a abrading of any asbestos tide should be avoided

because this is the time when the fibres are potentially released

into the atmosphere. They haven't CVT Executive said the Housing

Executive has a duty to manage asbestos in their housing stock. --

But health and safety Executive. That does not cover houses sold to

A senior manager told us that once a Housing Executive establish the

presence of asbestos in their properties, it would be reasonable

for them to inform homeowners in the same street who had bought

their houses from the Executive. In a statement, the Housing Executive

have told us that in 2005, they conducted a survey into all of

their properties and they found evidence of asbestos. There was

only access from out here, is that right? You could only get in from

outside. If the Executive had come due in 2005 and said, we have found

asbestos near by and you might want your house Cech, how would you have

reacted? -- you has checked. would have been shocked and

panicked but little for the knowledge. I would have got the

survey done, paid for the correct people to dispose of it. It would

have been peace of mind and it would not have been as expensive.

If you do it from the beginning it is not as expensive. There was

something else that Housing Executive could have done but did

not. They failed to mention that she could apply for a discretionary

grant to help with the cost of cleaning up asbestos. By the time

she found out about it, the Housing Executive said she was not eligible

as she had already done the work itself. The first I heard about it

was in need impartial reporter. I'm not sure if the Housing Executive

knew about it as well. Two people I spoke to did not know anything

about it. The asbestos may be gone from a house, but the fear of

contamination has not. Every night when I go to bed and sleep under

the duvet. That is not going to make any difference.

Psychologically, you feel you cannot breathe. Since we began

asking questions of the Housing Executive, we have secured two

significant developments. There were to reconsider the case and

they are going to conduct a review into how they notified owners of

former Housing Executive properties about the risks of asbestos.

That is quite eight results. three weeks we have been flocking

to duty and the Executive and they have moved forward in a positive

way, reconsidering my case and more importantly, listening to what she

had said about had she been told earlier, she would have appreciated

that. That protocol may be revisited now by the Housing

Executive. They are under no obligation but it would be welcomed

by homeowners. We asked the Housing Executive to come onto the

programme but they said that none was available. I have Chris Gent in,

from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and from me

construction union, Michael Kiseil. The Housing Executive was not

breaking the law by not passing on the Executive. Will it be

reasonable to find out that a house you have bought has asbestos in it?

A moral and legal obligation often diverge. You would like to think

that there would be a moral obligation to point out something

that could affect somebody there is no legal obligation for them to do

so. Asbestos is something that makes a chill run down people's

backs, for good reasons. How common is it for it to come up in homes?

Very common. I come across that almost every single day. That must

be very worrying for people going into work in houses. You members

must be as well? They are indeed. We commissioned a report in 2009,

to let go of specific -- to look specifically at asbestos in the

home. The report was very, very comprehensive and in fact, it

showed us that about 90% of all houses, social housing for right at

the home of the UK including Northern Ireland, have asbestos in

them. -- throughout the whole of the UK. That means people in UEG

you going to work in houses might find themselves in a situation

where they are halfway through the job and realise that is what they

are working with? This is happening on a daily basis. They have and

safety Executive do have regulations to protect workers, but

there is nothing to protect the President of the household, which

we think should be expanded upon. - - the resident. We do not want to

be alarmist. As long as you do not do anything to the asbestos, it is

not dangerous, is that right? depends on the form it is in.

Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is if you leave it alone it

will leave you alone, so it is safe if you do not subjected to any

standing, drilling or abrasion. Your members survey homes for

people who are buying. If somebody is buying a house, even if they are

buying their own house, the case here, should they get a survey done

and will it tell them? Indeed, the survey would tell them. We brought

out a budget survey exactly for this kind of situation. It is

called the Home condition report. It identify his -- identify his

problems such as this. I am sure there are people pleased to hear

that. Thank you for or clearing up for us.

We have had a huge reaction to our story last week on computer scams.

We are working our way through that and we'll pass on your concerns to

Trading Standards, who have mastered us they will continue to

investigate. Margaret has contacted us to say, while watching the

programme she realised she had fallen foul of the same scam. A

computer had been giving her trouble, she thought this was a

genuine call. She says she would not have been aware hygiene not

seen a programme. Rhonda contracted us to say her sister watched a

programme on Monday night and informed her of the scam. She

immediately rang the telephone number and asked for a refund.

Randa says it is the first time she has been taken in by a scam and

feels totally silly that she let it happen. Please keep your e-mails

coming. In these times of austerity and

downturn, most of us are keeping a close eye on what we spend. What is

the best way to keep on top of your household budget? In your corner's

reporter has been to the Abbey centre to find out how the people

of Newtownabbey do it. A church in Mallusk is running free

sessions to help local people get on top of their household finances.

The aim is to put the joy back into money by teaching people how to

chat their household income and take control of their spending. As

the saying goes, every penny counts. We are here to find out about your

money-saving tips. How are you? We are asking if you

have any money-saving tips. Keep it in your purse. Not much happens if

you put your money into the bank, because of the interest rate been

low. As I and the money I would spend it. Work out your income and

outgoings and do not overspend. more careful, turn the heating down

and things like that. Put on an extra jumper? Yes! War Two extra

jumpers depending on the weather. started drinking -- I stopped

drinking. Cut out things that you do not need. Also better for your

health. You get more out of life. Don't have kids! That is where the

money goes. Be careful what you buy. Do not by too many special offers

because she threw them out. Always make sure you do not overspend and

be tempted by things. Do not buy Chinese food at the weekend. Do not

settle for the first place you see. Have a look around and think twice.

I write it all down every week and pay it off. If it is the oil or

anything else, I paid off week by week. We are asking people about

money-saving tips. Have you got any? That is my money-saving tip

beside me! There is a church in Mallusk who are going to be giving

lessons to people to try and teach them how to budget. Is that a good

idea? It is a bright idea. I would go to that. The you think you need

You should get a great response from people. Almost 2000 people

suffer from muscular dystrophy, causing muscle wasting and lung

problems. Services are fragmented and families have been campaigning

for a cohesive system to deliver the care children need. We asked a

campaigner to report on the situation for fog.

Michaela is 21 years old and studied journalism and PR. Life is

not straightforward. She suffers from muscular dystrophy, a muscle-

wasting condition causing respiratory problems and she has

used a wheelchair. She's been campaigning for a specialist care

centre in Northern Ireland and we asked her to look into it for In

Michaela Pospech first stop is Brendan. He is 18 and has muscular

There isn't a specialist neuromuscular Centre in Northern

Ireland. We would need a one-stop- shop, these young men deteriorate

and get week. They would need to be able to go to an appointment, maybe

sort of within half the day and in one hospital. And then they would

not have to be seen for another six months. That would be to their

benefit. I think that's the only way forward. That is available in

England, why not here? Every weekend, Brendan plays wheelchair

football. As you can see, it's enjoyable and fun. It adds another

dynamic to people with terminal When we come back up again, there's

a difference in Brendan. He has enjoyed being out, the camaraderie.

He has something to look forward to the following Saturday what is a

great thing. The Football only provides a brief

respite and parents are calling on politicians to organise better

provision. It's a disgrace, it is time for something to be done. And

I hope it will inform the MLAs that there is a need for something to be

done for everyone with muscular dystrophy. My son is nearly 19. We

have done nothing but fight every corner of the way for everything he

has. Welcome, everyone. This is step to in the formal... Next stop

is Stormont where a group is conducting an inquiry into muscular

dystrophy care and the possibility of a one-stop-shop like those of

specialist centres in England. have asked the fundamental

question,... She had to take on a legal challenge to get an

appointment for her 50-year-old son. Mark had 28 professional people

involved in his care. As he tried to express disappointment, it

became too much. Services are really bad. I have to go to

Newcastle... OK, pet. For him to get his appointment in Newcastle,

we had to go through the children's law centre and a solicitor. Do not

take your boys to Newcastle. We have to come back to Northern

Ireland and the reality. Until we have an infrastructure in Northern

Ireland to receive care, we are destroying our boys to take them to

centres where they can receive the care. Can you tell me a little more

and the main issues around the care? To have a son with to Chen's

is like having your best dream and worst nightmare all at the same

time. You never stop trying to balance the emotions of being so

proud of your son that you love so much with the fear of what it is

that happens on a day-to-day basis to do little bore you have. Janet

is a GP whose son also suffers from muscular dystrophy. We do have

specialists here he can treat people, we're not saying the

expertise is not there but the co- ordination and commissioning of the

process for patients is not there. And at the moment people are in a

difficult situation. Muscular dystrophy is unco-ordinated. When

people like me get sick, we want to see one doctor at one place at one

time. The well, I am joined by the Health Minister. And one of the

mothers in the report. I am sure that was hard to watch, Marina

found it emotional. It cannot be a situation you are happy with.

it certainly is and I have met them before. Muscular dystrophy is one

of those illnesses that is degenerative. It is a struggle for

parents and they should not have to fight the way Marina had to fight

to support -- to get the support she needed. There is a facility at

Newcastle which is the centre of expertise. In Belfast, it's

available twice a month, there is discussions on going as to whether

it can be extended and how it can be extended. That is something that

I have no doubt families would appreciate. Would you like to see

it extended? Yes, there are lots of things I would like to see. I have

been different demand, but nonetheless what we see his many

young people who have significant demands, they do need the multi-

disciplinary help and if there was better co-ordination it should not

necessarily have to cost us more. Isn't that what the GP said at the

end he was also a mother, they are the people here but no co-

ordination to make it work. That is right. Sometimes you can deliver a

better service for marginally less funding. Those are things we need

to look at and address. Parents are right to seek to get better

services. Marina, what would you and the other parents like to see

for your children, what about the care adviser, a post not currently

filled? The difference the care adviser made for me was I had

somebody to help me be in charge. I had somebody to tell me what would

happen next and it was simple things like I remember school and

the kids do recorders in the curriculum and she was able to tell

me we need to plan because he would not be able to play the recorder

and whenever I was down and finding it challenging, what she did was be

there for me and that is what we do not have in Northern Ireland.

will happen, I understand, is a more clinical post, a neuromuscular

nurse specialist,... Is that I know it was decided in consultation but

what would parents say? I have never been asked. This is the first

time I have given my views and I know no other parents have been

asked. We do not have a clinical answer to the problems. So, to

invest money and greater clinical care were not make a difference.

What the boys need on a day-to-day basis is help to be normal and live

normal lives. Marks said he is 15, he is obsessed with football. That

is what he is worried about. What he doesn't need is another

clinician. He doesn't need another hospital appointment. I, like every

other mother, are the chemical co- ordinators. You expect me to be a

health provider. I go to one appointment and bring his

information because we do not have, records. I do not want to do that

anymore. All I want is the same as every other mother, I want to be

his mother. So please let us just be what it was. You are listening

to that, it is painful for anyone, we are lucky, our children do not

have this awful disease. Marina wants to be a proper money and do

what she wants. It is quite shocking they have not been asked

before. The clinical adviser left due to illness and it short-notice.

But did leave a vacuum. I know the trust looked at a replacement.

There's been quite a delay. We can look at it and in view of what the

parents have to say but the view from the trust was a clinical

adviser role should be a nurse with expertise as well. I can understand

where the trust is coming from. adverts are going in, will the

trust look at it again? We do not want to delay things further but it

would be useful to have the views of some of the families and

organisations that might sisters. And an all-party group is examining

this. We be answering questions from them, we meet more parents?

attended the all-party Group and Met parents and we are happy to

meet parents again and we need to get our heads around these issues.

Thank you for being less -- with us. Next week we are live again from

Enniskillen before going to County Down. Let us know your stories and

let us who find a resolution for you. You can contact us via e-mail

and keep a discussion going online. That is it from us. Remember, we

are only on air for 30 minutes a week but that's the tip of the