Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason affected homeowners in County Donegal have to pay 10% of the costs of making their homes safe under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme and cover the full costs of relocation and storage during construction (details supplied); and if his attention has been drawn to the financial barriers for the affected families in County Donegal. [29764/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, Regulations under Sections 2 and 5 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1979 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks, entitled Dwellings Damaged by the use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 25 of 2020).

The Regulations, which provide the legal framework for the grant scheme of financial assistance, came into operation on 31 January 2020. The scheme is targeted at assisting a group of homeowners who have no other practicable options to access redress for their home.

The Scheme outlines five remedial options ranging from rebuilding on existing foundations to replacing of external walls. The maximum approved costs per dwelling under the scheme are significant and range from €55,000 to €275,000 depending on the remedial option. A grant of 90% of the approved costs associated with the necessary remediation works, subject to a maximum for each remedial option, or 90% of the actual cost of the remedial works, whichever is the lesser, is available under the scheme. This is in line with how similar Government grant schemes operate or have operated in the past, where an applicant contribution to the costs is a key requirement.

Temporary removal and storage of furniture and contents is an allowable cost under the scheme. However, the recoupment of costs relating to temporary accommodation, service connections or utilities are not allowable.