Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy McConalogue for raising this matter. I apologise that the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, cannot be present. I do not know why that is but I was asked to take the Topical Issue. I will read the reply, although I am sure Deputy McConalogue knows most of the details, and I will then take questions.

I will be taking this matter on behalf of Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney. At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the very difficult and distressing situation that certain homeowners in Donegal and Mayo are facing on account of damage to the structural integrity of their homes. It is the Minister's firm belief that the parties responsible for poor workmanship, the supply of defective materials or both should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected homeowners.

An expert panel on concrete blocks was established by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in April 2016 to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. The membership of the expert panel on concrete blocks was formally announced on 6 April 2016, following the appointment of the chairperson, Mr. Denis McCarthy, on 1 February 2016.

The panel has the following terms of reference: to identify, in so far as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the block work in the counties of Donegal and Mayo; to carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected home owners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, testing laboratories, industry stakeholders and other relevant parties, to establish the nature of the problem in the affected dwellings; to outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and to submit a report within six months.

The expert panel on concrete blocks met on 12 occasions since it was first established and a similar number of meetings have taken place with key stakeholders, including affected home owners, the elected members of Donegal County Council and Mayo County Council, local authority officials, industry bodies, academics, public representatives and other interested parties. A substantial volume of information has been provided by affected home owners in both counties, as well as from Donegal County Council and Mayo County Council. Additional information was also provided through the consultation process.

The panel has now concluded its meetings and is in the process of finalising its report which is undergoing legal proofing, which I anticipate will be completed shortly. In this regard, the Minister will await the outcome of the panel's report before considering what further actions may be required to assist the parties directly involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to the problems that have emerged in the two counties.

I am sure the Deputy will tell me he knows all that. I will refer to some of his statement when he concludes.

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