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. As the Deputy is aware, the Act also provides for the making of a defective concrete blocks social homes scheme.
The draft defective concrete blocks social homes scheme 2026 is a scheme for the purpose of enabling a designated local authority or an approved housing body with dwellings located in a designated local authority area to remediate damage caused to dwellings owned by the local authority or approved housing body by the use of defective concrete blocks in their construction. Prior to the drafting of the draft scheme, my Department engaged in consultation with designated local authorities, the Irish Council for Social Housing and a small number of approved housing bodies, with feedback from this process informing the draft scheme. The final version of the scheme, as presented in the Dáil last week and the Seanad this week, does not contain such provisions as suggested by the Deputy and there is no role for the Housing Agency in the scheme.
On 22 July 2026, I received Government approval for the draft defective concrete blocks social homes scheme 2026. I subsequently arranged for the moving of a motion for a resolution in each House of the Oireachtas. On 23 September 2026, this resolution passed through Dáil Éireann, and subject to approval in Seanad Éireann, I will shortly seek a Government order to give effect to the scheme. This process is expected to conclude in October 2026. I am keen that local authorities will be enabled as soon as possible to begin remediating social homes which are affected in their local areas, thereby ensuring the appropriate management and maintenance of social housing stock is promoted and there is maximum use of social housing stock to meet local need.
