Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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250. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the consultations that he and his Department had with an organisation (details supplied) in relation to developing the grant calculation methodology for his Department’s recently announced enhancements to the defective concrete block scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60268/21]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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251. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will publish the methodology used by his Department in consultation with an organisation (details supplied) to develop the grant calculation sliding scale for the recently announced enhancements to the defective concrete block scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60269/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together.

The Government agreed an enhanced €2.2bn Defective Concrete Block (DCB) scheme on 30 November 2021. The comprehensive changes include the current 90% maximum grant will be increased to a 100% grant for all remediation options 1-5. The maximum grant cap for option 1 (demolition and rebuild) will be increased to €420,000 from €247,500. The grant calculation methodology will be based on the cost per square foot (psf) of rebuilding the existing home, with costings to be set by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage following consultation with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI).

A revised application process will be introduced which will only require the homeowner to submit an initial ‘Building Condition Assessment’ at minimal cost recoupable on entry to the Scheme. The Housing Agency will take over testing, sampling and categorisation of remedial works. Alternative accommodation and storage costs to be included, subject to a maximum of €20,000. In relation to works carried out under remediation options 2-5, a second grant option, will be available for such a home in the future if blockwork which was not removed as part of the initial remediation work subsequently proves defective in accordance with the IS:465 standard. A new independent appeals process will be introduced.

The Scheme will be extended beyond the current scope of Principal Private Residences only, to also cover RTB registered rental properties, subject to the introduction of a clawback mechanism upon re-sale within a set time period depending on the remediation option used. Opportunities for the State to acquire such rental properties for social housing purposes will also be examined.

In determining the indicative cost per square foot to be used, my Department consulted with the SCSI in relation to their re-build calculator. The purpose of those discussions was to gain a full understanding of the methodology behind the SCSI rebuild guide and whether in fact it was a suitable benchmark for the DCB scheme. The discussions also involved consideration of what role SCSI could play in assisting my Department with up to date information on construction costs.

Following the Government decision on the DCB scheme, I and officials from my Department met with SCSI on the 3 December, 2021 to work on terms of reference for further engagement with SCSI which will be finalised shortly, as my Department works in tandem to bring forward legislation to underpin the above changes. The SCSI will be completely independent in any engagement on this issue. I aim to bring forward final proposals and legislation in February 2022.