Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Ward for the question and his advocacy on behalf of his constituents in Donegal. I certainly will engage with him, as will the Government, on some of those technical matters. While I am taking the question, it very much relates to the testing standard that is used to evaluate the impact of defective concrete blocks. I realise this is an issue that is having a very significant impact and it is, as the Deputy has acknowledged, a complex issue as well.

The Government is allocating a significant amount of public money to affected homeowners. We are doing so to try to help enable them to rebuild their homes and get on with their lives. I cannot imagine the absolute misery, fear, pressure and stress - I am sure those words do not even capture it - that people are living with. I want to acknowledge that. We have seen funding increase significantly in 2025, I believe by over 50%, because the scheme is now ramping up. It is designed so that sufficient additional funding will be provided as required. The estimate is that the overall cost of the scheme will be in excess of €2.2 billion. Notwithstanding the challenges that I accept and the legitimate questions the Deputy is asking, over €2.2 billion is a significant commitment by this Oireachtas to those people to try to make progress. Our aim has been to make sure the scheme is designed and delivered in a manner that meets the real needs of homeowners in an efficient and effective way. My understanding is that there are more than 2,000 homeowners at various stages. The grant rates that were set and increased in 2024 are based on expert advice and based at a level to ensure homeowners will get the money they need to put their homes right.

In order to ensure that the grant scheme follows the most up-to-date science, changes were made to the scheme late in 2024 to take account of the most recent research and a forthcoming legislative Bill will make amendments to the grant scheme to allow these changes be implemented by the scheme's administrators.

Specifically on the testing standard, I will not profess to be an expert on the technicalities and I am certainly happy to revert to the Deputy via the Minister with further information. My understanding is that the public consultation on the NSAI standard has now commenced. I believe it commenced as recently as last Monday, 31 March. This is a milestone moment from a decision the Government made back in 2021 and funding provided by the State into the required research for the NSAI to undertake its work on revising the standards. The committees responsible for the research and drafting of the revised standard included officials from the Department. On conclusion of the public consultation period, the NSAI will finalise its review. It is expected to likely publish the revised standard in quarter 3 of this year. To assist in the evaluation of the new research and development underpinning the draft standard, the Minister's expert group has reconvened to provide advice on the implications for the defective concrete block grant scheme administered by the authorities.

I accept it is complex but it is also important for the reasons the Deputy has stated that we get this right. It has serious implications for homeowners. We will certainly keep in very close contact with the Deputy on this matter.

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