Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 January 2022
82. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered the submission from Donegal County Council in relation to the issue of MICA in local authority housing stock; if his Department will fund the necessary remedial works; and when a decision will be made in respect of same. [3322/22]
View answerMy Department received a submission from Donegal County Council, dated 21 October 2021 in connection with social houses affected by the use of defective concrete blocks in their construction. A response issued to the Council on the 3 November, 2021 indicating that my Department would review the submission.
The Government decision of the 30 November 2021 around enhancements to the Defective Concrete Blocks grant scheme, included provision for a parallel grant process to the DCB scheme for local authority and approved housing body owned social homes impacted by the use of defective concrete blocks in their construction.
In order to progress implementation of the Government decision a meeting was held on 20 January 2022 between officials from my Department and Donegal County Council. The submission from Donegal County Council in regard to the social homes in their ownership was discussed and my Department will be responding formally to the submission in due course.
Work is ongoing in my Department to bring forward the legislation necessary to provide for the enhanced grant scheme. Work is also ongoing in tandem on the formulation of a scheme for the remediation of local authority and approved housing body owned social homes.
