Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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897. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if the increases in the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme, announced in October 2024, will be applied to those individuals and families already in the process of reconstruction and not yet completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11646/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023.

Following updated cost reports from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and advice from the Expert Group established to consider the matter, a further increase was provided for on 23 October 2024 through (S.I. 577 of 2024) - www.gov.ie/pdf/311795/?page=null&lang=en. The Scheme Cap has risen by 10% to €462,000. An increase in the scheme grant rates of between 7.4% and 8.7% that are set out in the 2023 Regulations was also approved on 7 November 2024. (S.I. No. 621 of 2024) - www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=.

The 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 in respect of remediation option and grant amount. My Department sought legal advice that confirmed that extending these increases to a wider group of relevant owners requires amending the Act.

The Spring 2025 Government Legislation Programme has included the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill for priority drafting. This Bill will contain details of the wider group of relevant owners that can avail of the increase in the grant scheme cap and rates.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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898. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of applications from County Mayo to the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme since its introduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11647/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the current grant scheme and the related Regulations were adopted on 29 June 2023.

Mayo County Council has received an overall total of 414 applications to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme which comprises of 348 to the previous (2020) scheme and 66 to the current scheme. Of the 414 applications work has commenced on 233 applications with 61 homes completed as at the end of February, 2025.