Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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398. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update as to where the new scheme for homes impacted by defective blocks and pyrite is currently at (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24148/23]

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 (DCB) 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 the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act'), as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021, is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current 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.

I met with the Chairs of the Homeowner Action Groups on 10 May 2023 and set out a number of amendments to the draft Defective Concrete Blocks Regulations, proposed by stakeholders through the consultation process, and agreed a further week for the representatives to consider these amendments.

I expect to finalise the Regulations shortly, upon which the 2022 Act will commence and the Regulations will be adopted.