Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

394. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason that he has not tasked the Housing Agency to assist families availing of the defective blocks scheme to relocate to temporary alternative accommodation as is the case with the pyrite remediation scheme; if he will visit the homes of families in County Donegal and other affected counties to learn the reason that they are appealing for urgent assistance this winter. [54925/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Following on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme, the Government approved the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 July, 2022.

The purpose of this Act is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the scheme as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. Full details can be found at www.gov.ie/en/press-release/328d7-minister-obrien-welcomes-progress-on-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.

Work on drafting the necessary Regulations to facilitate the commencement of the Act is ongoing and the Regulations will provide for all matters within the Act which are to be prescribed including but not limited to the grant rates, damage threshold, and the form and content of various reports, certificates, forms, and declarations.

Under the Enhanced Grant Scheme, alternative vouched accommodation costs are an allowable cost, subject to a maximum of €15,000 in the event that the applicant has to move out when remediation works are ongoing. Removal of contents/house components and their temporary storage and reinstatement on completion are also an allowable cost, subject to a maximum of €5,000.

The role of the Housing Agency is to act as agents for each local authority in assessment, testing and categorisation of applications received as provided for in the Act, its remit does not include securing temporary accommodation for affected homeowners.

My Department recently published a comprehensive and updated “Your Questions Answered” document on the Department’s website to ensure homeowners have the most up to date information available to them. It can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/publication/775c0-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme-your-questions-answered/

With regards to the Pyrite Remediation Scheme, the scheme participant must vacate the dwelling in order to facilitate the remediation of the dwelling. The agreement to vacate is part of the written agreement between the scheme participant and the Housing Agency, giving the scheme participant’s consent to the carrying out of the remediation works. It is the responsibility of the scheme participant to find alternative accommodation during the remediation works.