Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to make changes to the enhanced defective concrete block grant scheme to address the concerns of the estimated 3,000 persons who have attended public meetings in Donegal and Mayo and called for a genuine 100% redress scheme similar to that provided to the victims of the pyrite scandal in Dublin and north Leinster;; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23799/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.

The approach taken under the Pyrite Remediation Scheme was considered in the development of the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme. However, due to the different scale of both schemes and the flexibility sought by DCB homeowners the DCB Grant Scheme required a different approach.

The Pyrite Remediation Scheme relates to dwellings that have been significantly damaged as a result of pyritic heave caused by the swelling of hardcore under ground floor slabs. In contrast, the DCB Grant Scheme relates to dwellings which are damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. There is only one remediation option under the Pyrite Scheme and the works are repetitive from home to home, which tend to be clustered. Under the DCB Scheme there are five potential remediation options with a bespoke solution potentially required for each affected home.

Arising from the Government Decision of 30 November 2021 in respect of the Enhanced (DCB) Grant Scheme, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) was tasked with delivering a programme of work to address a number of technical items. An interagency DCB Technical Matters Steering Group has been established to inform and guide the NSAI review of a number of relevant standards including I.S. 465:2018, and the impact, if any on foundations and the effect, if any, of full cavity fill insulation on homes susceptible to defective blockwork.

Following the publication of any revised standard published by the (NSAI), the DCB Grant Scheme will be reviewed at that point, in the event that such amendments are required.

The Act also allows for the grant rates and overall grant scheme cap to be reviewed on an annual basis and this will, if deemed appropriate, be considered in due course. My Department recently received an updated cost report from the Society of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland which will inform this ongoing process. The overall cap can be increased or decreased by no more than 10% up to three times. The first such change can only occur after 29 June 2024.

Furthermore section 51 of the Act mandates a review of the operation of the Act to take place within three years of the Act's commencement i.e. before July 2026.