Defective Building Materials

Tuesday, 25 June 2024

Questions (242)

James Lawless

Question:

242. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how the defective concrete block scheme will be rolled out in housing estates; for guidance as to how the defective concrete block scheme will work in cases where only one member of a semi-detached block opts to conduct remedial works and one does not; the compensation that will be made available to neighbours in housing estates who will be inconvenienced by others accessing the defective concrete block scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27075/24]

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Written answers

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act') on 22 June 2023, which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.

The detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities and the Housing Agency in the first instance. Their respective roles are set out clearly in the 2022 Act.

Each relevant owner of a relevant dwelling must apply to the Scheme separately. However, owners of dwellings that are conjoined may, at their own discretion, consider hiring the same building professionals as well as commencing works on conjoined properties at the same time, if approved for grant assistance for their dwellings.

The scheme is neither a redress nor a compensation scheme, rather it is a grant scheme of last resort to enable affected homeowners remediate their homes.