Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 307 and 310 together.

My Department received a submission from Clare County Council, dated 23 July 2021, requesting the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme to County Clare. A response issued to the Council on 3 August 2021 indicating that my Department would review the submission and it also sought a detailed breakdown of costs associated with the Report. A breakdown of costs associated with the Report was received on 28 September 2021.

In order to progress matters a meeting was held on 9 November 2021 between officials from my Department and Clare County Council to review issues which require further elaboration in order to evidentially support an extension of the defective concrete blocks grant scheme to County Clare.

Clare County Council undertook to review their submission in light of the discussion which took place and address the gaps in evidential data which have been identified by my Department. In that regard, the relevant local authority are to continue to take the lead, build on the good work to date and demonstrate damage which has been documented has manifested due to the presence of reactive pyrite, which is crucial for applicants in the existing scheme.

My Department is eager to progress this matter and to that end, issued a correspondence to Clare County Council on the 6 December 2021 outlining formally the nature of clarifications sought.

Any extension of the Scheme to Clare and indeed other local authority areas was considered as part of wider deliberations on the Scheme by Government. To that end, I brought a memorandum to Government on 30 November 2021, setting out proposals for improvements to the existing Scheme. Included as part of these improvements, I as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, may, with Government approval, extend the scheme beyond the counties of Donegal and Mayo to additional counties, where the evidence supports such an extension.

On receipt by my Department of the clarifications sought, progress can be made on the requested extension of the scheme to County Clare.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department informed those local authorities requesting an extension to the Defective Concrete Block Scheme, that before any extension can be considered, the same rigorous analysis as that put in place prior to the rollout of the scheme to the counties of Donegal and Mayo would have to be undertaken.

Local authorities are to take a lead role in determining, in accordance with the IS: 465 protocol, that issues arising in homes in their local authority area are in fact due to the presence of excessive amounts of deleterious materials (mica or pyrite) in the aggregate used to manufacture the concrete blocks and, secondly, quantify the likely extent of the problem in the county.

My Department, in asking local authorities to take on this lead role, has committed to covering all reasonable costs incurred them by them in this regard. There is therefore no question of local authorities being required to cover the testing costs arising from this work or there being any resulting discrepancy in their approach to testing.

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 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.

Whilst the terms mica or pyrite scheme are used widely in media reporting my Department can confirm that the correct name for the scheme is the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. Any extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme to additional local authority areas will ensure that homeowners in those counties, whose homes are impacted by excessive amounts of reactive pyrite or mica in the blockwork, in accordance with the IS:465 protocol and the scheme regulations and guidance, would be eligible to apply for grant assistance to help with the cost of necessary remediation works.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to note that the work of the Defective Concrete Block working group completed earlier this year with the final meeting of the group taking place on 29 September 2021. I received the final output report in early October which is available on the Departments website

No commitment was given to extend the participation of the Working Group to persons or groups residing outside of Donegal or Mayo. Other interested parties sought admittance onto the Working Group but homeowners were restricted to those from counties within the scope of the Scheme.

The Defective Concrete Blocks Working Group which I established, was tasked with a review of issues of concern which had been raised by homeowners in respect of the current scheme, which applies to Mayo and Donegal only. Under the agreed Terms of Reference, one of the areas in scope for review was the issue of "Eligible Homes". This aspect of the review covered excluded homes in the counties of Donegal and Mayo and homes in local authority areas not currently in the Scheme.

It was considered that homeowners from Donegal and Mayo, who made up 50% of the working group, could adequately represent the views of homeowners who may be affected, regardless of their location.

Any extension of the Scheme to Clare and indeed other local authority areas was considered as part of wider deliberations on the Scheme by Government. To that end, I brought a Memorandum to Government on 30 November 2021, setting out proposals for improvements to the existing Scheme. Included as part of these improvements, I as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, may, with Government approval, extend the scheme beyond the counties of Donegal and Mayo to additional counties, where the evidence supports such an extension.

On receipt by my Department of the clarifications sought from the Local Authority, progress can be made on the requested extension of the scheme to County Clare.