Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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833. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government whether the increases to the cap and square foot rates of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme have been fully implemented; and whether retrospective payments for homeowners currently in the scheme have been processed. [2102/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, 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.

A review mechanism is provided within the 2022 Act, which provides for an increase or decrease in the overall grant scheme cap (originally set at €420,000) a year after the Act has been commenced by no more than 10%, in accordance with the conditions of Section 11 of the Act.

Following receipt of the expert group report on the scheme cap and grant rates I received Government approval, to increase the scheme cap and ancillary grants on 22 October 2024 (S.I. 577 of 2024 - www.gov.ie/pdf/311795/?page=null&lang=en) and for regulations to provide for the increase in the grant rates payable under the scheme on 7 November 2024 (S.I. No. 621 of 2024 - www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=). Further information on these increases can be found on my department’s website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/38a04-defective-concrete-blocks-rates/ . The 2022 Act provides that any increase in the scheme cap or grant rates will apply to eligible relevant owners that are yet to receive a determination from The Housing Agency in respect of their remediation option and grant amount and this has been fully implemented.

Providing any change in the overall scheme cap and grant rates retrospectively requires legislative change, which is a matter for the Oireachtas and the intention is this will progress after the formation of the new Government.