Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the expert panel currently investigating the issue of mica defective concrete blocks will publish their report or an interim report. [28487/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The expert panel on concrete blocks has met on four occasions since it was established in April 2016, and is continuing to receive and review the information that has been made available to it in relation to the problems that have emerged in affected homes in Donegal and Mayo. A substantial volume of information has now been provided by affected homeowners in both counties, as well as from Donegal and Mayo County Councils, which will be of particular assistance in completing the necessary research to inform the preparation of the panel’s report.

Further meetings have taken place with key stakeholders, including affected homeowners, the elected members of Donegal and Mayo County Councils, local authority officials, industry bodies and additional meetings are anticipated with other interested parties before the panel conclude their research into the problems that have emerged in the affected homes.

Ultimately, the panel’s terms of reference aim to establish the facts behind the problems that have emerged in Donegal and Mayo and to outline technical options for addressing the problems identified in order to assist affected homeowners. It is anticipated that the panel will complete their report before the end of the year; there are no proposals to publish an interim report. In this regard, I 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.