Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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780. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the temporary accommodation pressures in County Donegal as a consequence of families having to vacate their houses due to demolition and reconstruction of houses with MICA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19921/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 came in to operation on 31 January 2020 and the resulting Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme has been open for applications since the end of June 2020. The scheme was informed by the work of an Expert Panel and the current provisions available under the scheme were finalised in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This process also took account of the comprehensive engagement that took place between my Department and both Donegal and Mayo County Councils, who operate and administer the scheme.

The aim of this scheme is to help in so far as possible to reinstate the applicant's home to the condition it would have been in had the original block work not been affected by pyrite/mica. The scheme provides funding in order to rectify the defective concrete blocks issue within individual homes.

I am keeping progress on the scheme under review and engaging with both local authorities and local action groups. As the scheme opened for applications in June 2020 and applicants are at various stages of the process, it would be premature to consider making any changes to the scheme at this time.