Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 July 2020
306. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the financial supports that will be made available to Donegal County Council to assist with making the hundreds of homes in its housing stock affected by mica defective blocks safe in view of the fact that the defective concrete blocks scheme being administered by Donegal County Council does not apply to public housing [16915/20]
View answerThe Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme applies to private dwellings in Donegal and Mayo that have been damaged due to defective concrete blocks. In respect of local authority housing stock, Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that management and maintenance is a matter for each individual local authority. This includes maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs and pre-letting repairs.
My Department provides support to local authorities in terms of various targeted stock upgrade programmes, large-scale urban regeneration programmes, support for the return of vacant units to productive use, the Energy Retrofitting Programme and adaptations and extensions for people with disability in social housing.
In the context of defective concrete blocks within the social housing stock in Donegal, my Department is currently in communication with Donegal County Council regarding the extent of the issues and potential solutions.
I intend to meet with the Chief Executive of Donegal County Council and his officials in early August and I will discuss the matter then also.
