Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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1113. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total projected cost involved in the upcoming remediation of apartment defects scheme; if his Department has budgeted for this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44516/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The scale of defects in apartments and duplexes is significant.  My predecessor Minister O'Brien established a Working Group to examine defects in housing in February 2021.  The Working Group, reporting at the end of July 2022, estimated that between 50% and 80% of apartments and duplexes (or associated common areas) constructed between 1991 and 2013 may be affected by one or more fire safety, structural safety or water ingress defects. This equates to between 62,500 and 100,000 apartments/duplexes.

The Working Group estimated an average cost of remediation at approximately €25,000 per unit, which means the scheme could have a potential cost to the Exchequer of between €1.5 billion and €2.5 billion. 

In its decision of 18 January 2023, the Government approved the introduction of a fully funded scheme.  The scheme is expected to run for a minimum period of 10 years and will be budgeted for on a demand led annual basis.