Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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498. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a person (details supplied) will be eligible for the proposed 10% retrospective payment increase under the defective concrete blocks scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65676/25]

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 operation of the Scheme and the processing of individual applications is a matter in the first instance for the individual local authority concerned.

Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) is a complex issue which the Government is addressing by allocating a significant amount of money to affected homeowners to enable them to rebuild their homes and get on with their lives. The overall cost of the scheme is expected to be in excess of €2.2 billion. The Government is making sure that the Scheme is designed and delivered in a manner that meets the needs of homeowners in an efficient and effective manner. Currently, over 3,000 homeowners are at various stages of the scheme.

In the final quarter of last year the then Government provided, via Regulations, for an 10% increase in the DCB Scheme cap (to €462,000) and to increases in the scheme grant rates of between 7.4% and 8.7%. These increases recognise the impact of construction inflation on homeowners in the scheme and were made following the receipt and consideration of updated cost reports from the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI) and advice from the Expert Group established to consider the matter.

My Department sought legal advice that confirmed that extending these increases to a wider group of relevant owners, i.e. those who had already received a determination but were experiencing increased constructions costs during their ongoing remediation works, required amending the Act.

I can confirm I received Government approval for the priority drafting of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill which includes details of the wider group of relevant owners that can avail of increases in the grant scheme cap and rates approved in late 2024. The Bill will also include other technical amendments to ensure the continued smooth operation of the grant scheme for homeowners.

This legislation is being progressed as expeditiously as possible and the Bill is included in the Autumn 2025 Government Legislation Programme for Priority Publication. However, it should be noted that amending the Act is ultimately a matter for the Oireachtas.