Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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119. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to examine the case of a person (details supplied) whose home is affected by mica; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43461/24]

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 provides for the current grant scheme, and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.

The scheme facilitates the remediation of existing houses that have been damaged by the use of defective concrete blocks. The construction of new separate additional houses is not grant funded.

The 2022 DCB Act, as set down by the Oireachtas provides that exempt development status shall automatically apply to remediation works approved under the grant scheme subject to certain provisions set out in Section 28 of the Act. Importantly, remediation works shall only be exempt where on completion of remediation works the dwelling house is not inconsistent with or materially different from the appearance and character of the original dwelling house.

However, there is flexibility in terms of footprint of a rebuild and exact rebuild on the footprint is not required, subject to compliance with Building Regulations and compliance with planning. In such scenarios homeowners should engage with their Competent Building Professional to consider the possible impact on any energy retrofit work they may be considering and the effect a different footprint may have on such works and/or associated grants.