Written answers

Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Defective Building Materials

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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434. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if homes within an apartment complex (details supplied) qualify under the defective apartments redress scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13000/23]

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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511. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there is any update on a scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13953/23]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 434 and 511 together.

I received Government approval on 18 January to draft legislation to establish supports for 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 with such defects.

Work is 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. Subject to the legislative process, it is intended that a scheme would be in place in 2024.

There are no plans to include houses in this scheme.

Separately, however, in response to the difficulties that homeowners are facing due to the presence of deleterious material in their houses, my Department has put other measures in place to support homeowners including providing considerable financial assistance to remediate their homes. In this regard, the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme are both underpinned by legislation.

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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435. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he expects the defective apartments redress scheme to be operational; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13001/23]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I received Government approval on 18 January 2023 to draft legislation to establish supports for 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 with such defects.

Work is 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.

While I am working on the development of the scheme as a matter of priority, sufficient time is required to draft the legislation to ensure that the scheme is fit for purpose, provides value for tax payer’s money and contains appropriate oversight and governance measures. Subject to the legislative process, it is intended that a scheme would be in place in 2024.

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