Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
398. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the apartment and duplex defects remediation scheme; how retrospective costs will be handled; and the eligibility criteria. [5143/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment approval was received on 18 September 2024 for the priority drafting of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill. The purpose of this legislation is to place the defects remediation Scheme on a statutory footing, further to commitments contained in the Programme for Government and Housing for All.
The Scheme will provide supports for the remediation of relevant fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. It is envisaged that 100% of eligible remediation costs will be funded under the Scheme.
The General Scheme of the Bill completed pre-legislative scrutiny in December 2025 and I expect the legislation to be placed before the Oireachtas this year.
The Government is committed to consideration of remediation costs already incurred as part of the drafting of the Bill. Remediation costs already incurred or levied prior to the introduction of the statutory scheme will be covered, once such costs fall within the scope and defined parameters of the Scheme.
On 22 October 2024 the Government agreed the establishment of a Retrospective Costs Pathfinder Exercise from a representative sample of eight multi-unit developments, in order to identify and develop a potential appropriate process to address retrospective issues, based on fire safety remedial works completed.
The Housing Agency received a large volume of documentation from the respective Owner Management Companies (OMCs) which is being used to help identify an appropriate process to address retrospective issues more broadly. In particular, the Pathfinder Exercise will support development of a robust process around:
• Alignment with the existing Interim Remediation Scheme processes;
• Supporting Documentation and Timeframes;
• Certification and Standardisation of Evidence;
• Verification and Payment processes.
I will return to Government before any retrospective payments are made, to update on the outcome from the pathfinder, based on lessons learned. A proposal on how retrospective payments could operate in practice will form part of this update. The aim is to identify a process that provides a streamlined approach, ease of engagement by applicants and ensures good governance regarding Exchequer funding.
