Charles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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1331. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason as of April 2025, none of the six appeals that were confirmed to be in progress as of early December 2024 under the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme have been heard; the status and expected timelines for the resolution of these appeals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20696/25]

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) was commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.

The Appeals Panel has been established to assess appeals made under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the use of Defective Concrete (DCB) Blocks Grant Scheme. The Panel offers those affected by decisions made by the Housing Agency and Local Authorities an opportunity to have their cases assessed by an independent group of industry experts. It should be noted that the Appeals Panel is statutorily independent in the performance of their functions of myself as Minister, my Department and of the Housing Agency.

The points of appeal that are available to a DCB applicant include the validation stage by the local authority, the damage threshold determination made by the Housing Agency, the remediation option, and the grant amount approved and where a local authority refuse to make a grant payment pursuant to grant approval.

I understand that the Panel has begun the process of assessing appeals and it is expected the Chair of the Appeals Panel will issue notifications to appellants in due course.