Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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209. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will amend the legislation or regulations that limit the reconstruction of homes with defective blocks to the same footprint as the original house, in order that some homeowners have the option of building on their adjacent land holding and remaining in the existing home while their new home is being constructed; and if he appreciates that families with a person with a disability will struggle to find suitable temporary alternative accommodation and that this may be a workable option in some instances. [20313/23]

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: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/328d7-minister-obrien-welcomes-progress-on-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.

The 2022 Act which contains the enhanced grant scheme will be commenced as soon as related Regulations are completed. The Regulations will provide details for the enhanced scheme not included in the 2022 Act such as application forms and templates, per square metre grant rates and the definition of damage. Draft Regulations have been prepared, which are the subject of ongoing consultation with key stakeholders, including with homeowners’ action groups. The consultation must be concluded before the Regulations will be finalised and adopted. I extended the consultation period on the draft Regulations, which commenced in February 2023, by an additional two weeks, to 14 March 2023, following receipt of requests for time extensions from Donegal County Council and Mayo County Council. The submissions received are now being reviewed and when that review is complete I will engage further with the homeowners' action groups before finalising the Regulations.

The Enhanced Grant Scheme will facilitate the remediation of existing houses that have been damaged by the use of defective concrete blocks, but not the construction of separate additional houses on adjoining sites. The construction of new, separate additional houses is not grant funded and would be subject to the normal requirements of the planning system. The scheme does not preclude, on a cost saving or cost neutral basis, subject to compliance with any planning issues, the construction of a smaller dwelling (in terms of internal floor area) on a larger footprint where the reconstruction of the dwelling is in the exact position on the land on which the relevant dwelling was situation before it was demolished.

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.

Donegal County Council has also engaged with my Department to seek approval for two facilitator posts in Donegal to support homeowners through the defective concrete block grant scheme application process. The role of the facilitators will include guiding the homeowners through the application process, and facilitating the homeowner to access all other relevant support services, including options for alternative accommodation/ storage. A letter of approval supporting the posts of facilitators issued from my Department and the Council has confirmed two full-time facilitators are now in place.

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/