Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2021
615. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the review will be completed of the submission received from a group (details supplied) in County Donegal in April 2021 and its proposals acted upon. [31416/21]
View answerDuring a meeting with the MICA action group held virtually on the 4th of February the Group offered to provide to my Department information relating to dwelling sizes affected and the implementation of the scheme for those homeowners in larger sized dwellings and my Department received a submission in relation to this on 29th April.
In parallel, officials from my Department are actively engaging with Donegal County Council who administer the scheme and are awaiting full details in relation to the dwellings that have been deemed eligible for demolition and rebuild at stage 2.
Both sets of information will need to be reviewed together.
With regard to the scheme, the aim is to help in so far as possible to reinstate an average sized dwelling to the condition it would have been in had the original block work not been affected by pyrite/mica. Mindful that the scheme is being funded from the Exchequer its scope cannot be open ended and expenditure and value for money have to be carefully managed. The funding available must be used prudently to achieve the most efficient and cost effective outcomes, while benefitting as many homeowners as possible.
Engagement between my Department, the local authorities and local action groups will continue on this matter. In this regard, I have proposed a timebound working group, with representatives from my Department, the local authorities and homeowner representative groups, to review and address any outstanding issues in relation to the operation of the Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme, including issues such as grant caps, homeowner contributions, engineering and allowable costs etc. I propose that the recommendations of this working group will inform any changes or improvements to the scheme as may be required, which I will bring forward in conjunction with my Government colleagues, and in particular in consultation with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Attorney General.
