Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 March 2026
162. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been brought to the significant problems with the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; if there are any plans to address its failings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17498/26]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 was commenced on 22 June 2023 and it underpins the current grant scheme and the related Regulations. The current scheme has been in operation since then and some 3,225 homes are currently progressing through the scheme with 432 already completed.
The State is providing an average of €340,000 of taxpayer funding to grant aid relevant homeowners. Indeed over €283m in grant funding has already been provided through my Department for the Scheme and we are making a further €175m available in 2026 to assist affected homeowners.
The Scheme is clearly working for those homeowners who are engaging with it but my Department remains fully committed to continuing to engaging with stakeholders to ensure that the views of relevant stakeholders on the operation of the Scheme can, and are being heard. An Implementation Steering Group for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme has been in place since 2023. The Group meets regularly and keeps the scheme under review. The most recent meeting was on 17 February 2026 with a further meeting scheduled to take place on 31 March 2026.
A number of amendments have recently been made to the legislation in late 2025 so the scheme can continue to be applied in as efficient and equitable a manner as possible for all homeowners and the first of these came into operation on 25 February 2026, with the related Regulations also adopted on 25 February 2026.
These will allow qualifying homeowners to apply to their designated local authority to have a new remediation option grant amount determined. It also doubles the time applicants have to complete works from 65 week to 130 weeks. I expect to commence some further amendments also in the coming months.
In 2026 a full review of the scheme will be undertaken as per the provisions of the 2022 Act and any further changes will be considered as part of that review.
