Written answers
Thursday, 20 June 2024
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Defective Building Materials
Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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145. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the defective block remediation scheme; the number of applicants in each of the qualifying counties; the number progressed to stage one; the number progressed to stage two; the funding approved at stage two; the funding drawn down to date; the number of applicants in each county who have received funding; and the number in each county who have drawn down their full grant to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26670/24]
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 2022 Act') on 22 June 2023, which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.
The detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities and the Housing Agency in the first instance. Their respective roles are set out clearly in the 2022 Act.
The Housing Agency acts as agent on behalf of the local authorities under the Enhanced Grant Scheme. Once a home has met the damage threshold for entry to the scheme, the Housing Agency engage its Framework Chartered Engineers to undertake the assessment, survey, sampling, testing and categorisation of the dwelling thereafter on a priority basis in accordance with the national standard I.S. 465:2018 and thereafter determine the appropriate remediation option and grant amount in accordance with the provision of the Act.
The precise data requested is not routinely collected by local authorities and/or the Housing Agency in each case. The table below sets out the position in regard to how the Scheme has been operating in the broad areas requested.
| Summary of Statistics for DCB Grant Scheme to 31 May 2024 | Clare | Donegal | Limerick | Mayo* | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Applications (both schemes) | 92 | 1,652 | 31 | 375 | 2,150 |
| Applications Approved to Stage 1 from Previous Scheme | N/A | 849 | N/A | 332 | 1,181 |
| New Applications from the Enhanced Scheme validated by LA and referred to HA | 86 | 276 | 27 | 16 | 405 |
| New Applications - Damage Threshold Determination met | 73 | 186 | 26 | 3 | 288 |
| Transitional Applications Referred to Housing Agency that met Damage Threshold Determination | N/A | 385 | N/A | 10 | 395 |
| Applications Approved to Stage 2 from Previous Scheme | N/A | 94 | N/A | 99 | 193 |
| Stage 2 Number of Remedial Options/Grants Determined by Housing Agency | 11 | 223 | 0 | 10 | 244 |
| Funding approved at Stage 2 from previous scheme | N/A | €16,398,951 | N/A | €22,390,935 | €38,789,886** |
| Total Value of Remedial Options/Grants Determined by Housing Agency | €3,354,364 | €74,770,311 | 0 | €3,026,450 | €81,151,125 |
| Total LA Drawdown since June 2020 | €219,568 | €22,153,558 | €100,558 | €25,503,348 | €47,977,031 |
| Number of Payments made to Applicants to scheme (includes professional fees, stage payments and ancillary grants) | 0 | 1,444 | 0 | 821 | 2,265 |
| No. of Applicants who have Completed Remediation Works | 0 | 43 | 0 | 11 | 54 |
* Figures reflect to end April, 2024
** Figures from May and June 2023 which do not reflect recalculation due as part of the Enhanced Scheme
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