Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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388. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is aware that homeowners who cannot complete the remediation of their homes under the enhanced defective blocks grant scheme, within the required timeframe, on genuine and certifiable medical grounds, must reapply to the scheme; and how he proposes to resolve this issue. [28479/25]

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.

The detailed operation of the Scheme is a matter for the designated local authorities in the first instance and their role is set out clearly in the 2022 Act. Local authorities have responsibility for the administration of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme.

The 2022 Act provides that an applicant has 78 weeks to commence work after approval before the grant approval is deemed withdrawn. The applicant must also have submitted their final grant payment application following the completion of works within 65 weeks of having commenced works.

It should be noted a relevant owner may request the designated local authority to extend the periods referred to above (by no more than 24 weeks) where, due to exceptional circumstances beyond the control of, and the exercise of all due diligence by, the relevant owner, there is a delay.

The Summer 2025 Government Legislation Programme (published 29 April 2025) 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 and will also include a number of technical amendments and the timeframe is under consideration in that respect.