Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

115. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the Government will consider the 13 amendments to the Draft Defective Concrete Block Regulations put forward by the Mica Action Group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23464/23]

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

I understand the question refers to the 13 amendments I have agreed in the draft Defective Concrete Blocks Regulations, based on submissions received from key stakeholders, including the homeowners’ action groups following the consultation period on the draft Regulations, which commenced in February 2023, and I extended 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 2022 Act which contains the enhanced grant scheme will be commenced as soon as these Regulations are completed. The Regulations will provide details for the enhanced scheme not included in the 2022 Act. I met with the Chairs of the Homeowner Action Groups on 10 May 2023 and set out these 13 amendments, proposed by stakeholders through the consultation process, and agreed a further week for the representatives to consider the draft Regulations.

I am keen to ensure that the significant enhancements contained in the new scheme are made available to homeowners who have not yet applied under the current grant scheme, and that those enhancements can also be retrospectively applied to existing applicants to the current grant scheme, as soon as possible. In this regard I expect to finalise the Regulations shortly, following commencement of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 and adoption of the Regulations.