Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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361. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide a summary of the defective concrete block sub-group on mortgage related matters meeting that took place in January; what actions are outstanding in relation to the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2889/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 and 368 together.

I established an Implementation Steering Group to work through administrative issues around the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) scheme as they arise and make recommendations if further changes to the regulations or guidelines on the Scheme are needed. The Group comprises the relevant local authorities, my Department, the Housing Agency, and the Homeowner's Liaison Officer. This Group met several times over the last number of months to keep the operation of the scheme under review and work through issues as they arose, and make recommendations if further changes to the regulations or guidelines are needed.

In order to ensure the views of as broad an array of stakeholders as possible a sub-group was established, within the existing group structure, to examine an emerging issue relating to financial aspects of the scheme.

Representatives from Engineers Ireland, the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, Insurance Ireland, the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, Homeowner representatives from each of the four local authority areas and officials from the Department of Finance attended discussions on 11 January, 2024 chaired by my Department.

The Government position on this matter was set out clearly at this meeting i.e. namely that it is our understanding and expectation that once a home is certified and remediated under the DCB Scheme that it would then be treated for mortgage purposes, in the same manner as any other home.

Subsequent to the meeting of 11 January, 2024 my Department, the Housing Agency and Engineers Ireland met on 19 January, 2024 to further discuss matters relating to mortgageability. As agreed at the sub-group meeting the matter will be progressed further at the group's next meeting which is due to take place in the coming weeks.