Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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24. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to confirm that he will ensure that defective block homeowners at a location (details supplied) do not have to rebuild their homes on a dangerous flood plain; for an update on his Department's engagement with the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW to find a solution and the outcome of this engagement. [53449/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I visited Donegal earlier this year and understand the flood issue pertaining to Elm Park in Buncrana. Most of impacted homeowners have the option of availing of the Defective Concrete Block Scheme and the OPW intends to undertake flood relief works. The residents however are concerned about the length of time before those flood work would be completed and have asked that consideration be given to relocation options.

My Department continues to work with Donegal County Council and the Office of Public Works, to ensure a workable solution is reached for impacted homeowners in Elm Park, while also ensuring that we operate within the terms of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022. The matter is complex and there is no option open to my Department under the legislation. Equally there is no easy solution available to the OPW.

A meeting took place on 16 July 2025 between Minister Boxer Moran, T.D., Minister of State for the OPW and Minister O’ Sullivan, T.D, Minister of State for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to discuss the matter.

More recently on 1 October 2025 my officials again met with Minister Moran and Minister O’ Sullivan and efforts to progress the matter are continuing. Preliminary options to address the matter were examined at that meeting and officials have been asked to continue that work and revert to the Ministers again shortly.