John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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1133. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the inclusion of Carlow and Kilkenny in the defective block scheme; the known number of households affected in each county; if the lab results for each house tested by the UK company will be released on request to the individual households; if he is aware that the lack of decisions by his Department is causing huge difficulties for individuals who want to take legal action to hold suppliers of defective materials to account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60053/25]

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 scheme is now open to applications in five counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/8002e-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/

When a local authority that is not designated under the Scheme determines through the established mechanisms that homes within their functional area have been damaged by defective concrete blocks, they can seek to have the scheme extended to include any such county or part of such county.

Section 5 of the Act contains details on this process. This statutory designation process can commence upon a request by a local authority or by myself, as Minister, to the Housing Agency. The Agency thereafter carries out technical testing of dwellings in a given local authority administrative area. As soon as practicable after the completion of any testing, the Housing Agency shall make a recommendation to me whether an order to designate the whole or part of a local authority's administrative area should or should not be made by the Government.

I understand that Carlow County Council, in accordance with Section 5(7) of the Act, submitted a request to the Housing Agency on 6 November 2023 for inclusion in the scheme. The Housing Agency appointed a Chartered Engineer from their existing framework panel to assist in their investigations and consultations. The investigations (including concrete block sampling and testing) and consultations, required under the Act, commenced in March 2024.

The Housing Agency confirmed to my Department that in late May 2025 they had received the concrete block test results from the properties sampled within the administrative area of Carlow County Council, and that they have commenced drafting a report on the results of their investigations and consultations, including their recommendation to myself as Minister.

It is the understanding of my Department that the Housing Agency envisage that they will be in a position to issue this report and recommendation very shortly.

In the case of Kilkenny, I understand that Kilkenny County Council, in accordance with Section 5(7) of the Act, submitted a request to the Housing Agency on 23 June 2025 for inclusion in the scheme. The Housing Agency appointed a Chartered Engineer from their existing framework panel to assist in their investigations and consultations. The investigations (including concrete block sampling and testing) and consultations, required under the Act, are scheduled to commence in mid-November 2025.

Once the Housing Agency has confirmed to my Department that its investigations and consultations have been completed, and I receive their report, I will consider the recommendations made.

It should be noted that the Housing Agency do not send my Department individual reports rather, as set out above, the Housing Agency prepare a report upon conclusion of its investigations for my consideration.