Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein)
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942. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the remediation scheme for fire safety defects in apartments and duplexes; when homeowners who already paid a fire remediation levy in respect of repairs to their own homes and complexes will see their remediation costs refunded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12262/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Legislation is currently being drafted to establish the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme on a statutory basis and subject to the legislative process, the Statutory Scheme is expected to be in place later this year. The Statutory Scheme will provide supports for the remediation of relevant fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. It is envisaged that 100% of eligible remediation costs will be funded under the Scheme.

An Interim Remediation Scheme has been in place since December 2023, to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in buildings pending introduction of the Statutory Scheme and completion of the full remedial works. The Interim Remediation Scheme is for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes constructed between 1991 and 2013. The administration of this Scheme, under which OMCs can receive funding to carry out the necessary remedial works, is being managed by The Housing Agency on behalf of my Department.

A total of 355 applications to the Interim Remediation Scheme have been received to date. As of the end of February 2025, 200 of these applications have been validated, having met the required eligibility criteria. These applications represent 19,048 residential units, located in 28 local authority areas, with circa 78% in the Dublin region.

The Government has approved the principle of allowing remediation costs already incurred or levied to be covered under the forthcoming Statutory Scheme, once such costs fall within the scope and defined parameters of the latter.The details and mechanics of such retrospective funding are being addressed as the legislation is drafted. On 22 October 2024 the Government agreed the establishment of a Retrospective Costs Pathfinder Exercise from a representative sample of multi-unit developments, in order to identify and develop a potential appropriate process to address retrospective issues, based on fire safety remedial works completed.

Specifically, it will be necessary to fully examine and build a robust process around:

• Alignment with existing Interim Remediation Scheme process;
• Supporting Documentation and Timeframe;
• Certification, Standardisation of Evidence;
• Verification and Payment Processes.