Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
629. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will bring a memo to Cabinet to deal with the issue of down-sizing as part of the defective concrete block remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39798/22]
View answerFollowing on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme, the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022 has now been passed by both the Dáil and Seanad and signed into law by the President. I progressed this legislation to ensure that we can have the scheme ready for homeowners to access by the end of the year.
The purpose of this Act is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the scheme as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021. Full details can be found at www.gov.ie/en/press-release/328d7-minister-obrien-welcomes-progress-on-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.
The grant awarded to an applicant under the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme will be appropriate to the size of home they intend to build. I and the Government have an obligation to the taxpayer and participants in the scheme to ensure that the grants approved are appropriate to the size of home being rebuilt and that homeowners rebuilding a home of the same size are commensurately grant aided.
