Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. These include a commitment to examine defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report Safe as Houses?. Housing for All, the Government’s national plan on housing to 2030, reiterates these commitments.

In this regard, I received Government approval on 18 January 2023 to draft legislation to support the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. This legislation will provide a statutory basis for the establishment of a remediation scheme aimed at protecting the safety and welfare of those living in apartments or duplexes. It is intended that only works relating to defects that are attributable to defective design, defective or faulty workmanship or defective materials (or any combination of these) and were in contravention of the Building Regulations applicable at the time of construction will be eligible for inclusion in the scheme.

In addition, Government has approved the principle of allowing remediation costs already incurred or levied to be covered under the remediation scheme once such costs fall within the scope and defined parameters of said scheme.

Work is now underway to draft the required legislation which will include the scope, eligibility and conditions of the remediation scheme which will become operational following implementation of the required legislation.