Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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146. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when the report from the expert panel established to investigate problems that have emerged with concrete block work in counties Donegal and Mayo will be published; and if he will ensure that the full report and recommendations as submitted to him will be published. [5031/17]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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An expert panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in April 2016 to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. The panel have the following terms of reference:

(i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo;

(ii) To carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected homeowners, 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;

(iii) To outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and

(iv) To submit a report within six months.

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

The panel are now in the process of finalising their report which is anticipated shortly. 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. Following my consideration of the report, the arrangements necessary for publication will be made.