Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Interim Remediation Scheme for the funding of eligible emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes has been in place since December 2023. The Scheme, which is being administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis, is open to applications from apartment Owners’ Management Companies (OMC) via the Housing Agency’s website.

In the period since the Scheme’s launch, up to and including 31 August 2024,

• applications from 171 OMCs have been received and validated,
• representing a total of 17,206 residential units,
• spread across 27 local authority areas, with
• 78% of residential units located in the Dublin region.

To support the implementation and progress of the Scheme, Letters of Approval to recruit 40.5 additional fire services staff have issued to ten local authorities.

In April of this year, four appropriate “pathfinder” projects were identified from applications within the Scheme. These pathfinder projects have allowed the mapping of the application and remediation process into simple steps, to identify pinch points and their solutions and to provide consistency across submissions by OMCs and related Local Authority Fire Services (LAFS) workings.

Three pathfinders are situated in the Dublin area involving three local authorities, and one in Kildare. These projects vary in size and complexity, providing valuable insights for both the interim and future full remediation schemes, across resource identification, standardisation of documents and process efficiencies.

Intense engagement has taken place over the summer period between the Competent Professionals, acting on behalf of the four OMCs and LAFS. Three OMCs have completed their engagement with fire services and will receive Grant Agreements in the coming weeks.

Because of the intricacies inherent in the process for both internal and external stakeholders, it is essential for the success of the schemes that this pathfinder process is allowed the necessary time to ensure enhanced learnings, thereby securing its overall aim and success.

Subject to validation, payments to OMCs may commence on eligible works before the end of this year.

This week I am seeking Government approval for the priority drafting of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Bill 2024 to support the remediation of apartments and duplexes with relevant fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The legislation will provide a statutory basis for the establishment of a remediation scheme aimed at protecting the safety and welfare of those living in apartments or duplexes with such defects that occurred during construction.

This will complement the interim measures that the Government has already put in place.

Both the Interim and future statutory schemes are aligned as follows:

• Only defects that are attributable to defective design, defective or faulty workmanship, defective materials (or any combination of these) and were in contravention of the Building Regulations applicable at the time of construction will be eligible for inclusion in the scheme.
• The scheme will support the remediation of relevant defects, where practicable, to the standard that applied at the time of their original construction. Where this is not practicable, alternative approaches and options will be considered that provide a reasonable level of life safety protection. The Scheme will not cover defects arising from wear and tear, the building not being adequately maintained, sinking funds not being adequately funded to replace building and safety systems when they expired nor later building work not being managed correctly, leading to defects.