Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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275. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will initiate a campaign of awareness for homebuyers, solicitors and estate agents on the need for a structural test of second-hand homes that come on to the market for sale given the growing number of properties across the State with defective concrete blocks. [59068/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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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 hwww.gov.ie/en/press-release/328d7-minister-obrien-welcomes-progress-on-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.

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/

I understand that the conveyancing process in Ireland, which is under the remit of the Minister for Justice, provides for mechanisms to enable purchasers of secondhand houses to enquire as to the nature, quality and condition of a property prior to purchase. With this in mind this matter would remain with the Minister for Justice for consideration.