The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 as amended by the Act of 2025 underpins the Grant Scheme which provides grant funding to people whose homes have been affected by Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB).
A number of amendments have 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. The main provision of the Act of 2025 provides that increases in the grant scheme cap and rates from October and November 2024 can retrospectively benefit homeowners that incurred qualifying costs under the grant scheme since 29 March 2024. More recently further provisions commenced on 27 May 2026.
The DCB Scheme enables affected homeowners whose homes are impacted by DCB remediate their homes and move on with their lives. This Scheme offers funding for rebuilding or remediation to the current standard of the home. The terms of the scheme, as legislated for, provides for like for like, that is, the replacement of the home to the standard of the building regulations at the time it was built.
Homeowners may however carry out such additional upgrades under the scheme but the marginal cost of such works must be paid for by the homeowner, in the same way as non-defective concrete block affected homeowners must pay for upgrades to their homes.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) under the aegis of the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment offers a range of grants to help improve a home’s energy efficiency.
In 2024 the SEAI announced measures to help households availing of the DCB Scheme to also access SEAI grants to improve the energy performance of their homes under similar terms and conditions as those which apply to all homeowners in the State. These changes meant that households in the DCB Scheme have the opportunity to avail of SEAI grants of up to €37,500. This amount is in addition to the grants available for affected homeowners under the DCB Scheme.
My Department remains fully committed to continuing to engage 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 15 June 2026 with a further meeting scheduled to take place on 23 June 2026.
