Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
554. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend the redress scheme for defective apartment blocks to include apartments built before 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42662/22]
View answerFollowing on from the Government decision of the 30 November 2021 in respect of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme, the Government approved the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President.
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 issue of residential units within multi unit developments which are impacted by defective concrete blocks is challenging in the context of the scheme given there is often mixed use involving residential and commercial units, the need to remediate a multi-unit development as one and the complex ownership issues involving common areas and Owner Management Companies (OMC).
The Expert Group on the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme flagged that multi unit developments may also contain latent defects, and prior to proceeding with the remediation of defective concrete blockwork within such developments, any report in respect of the latent defects issue should be taken into account, as a holistic approach and one time solution would appear to be the best approach.
I received the report of the working group I established to examine defects in housing at the end of July and I am currently examining it in detail. The group’s terms of reference were focused on fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013 and the report is available on my Department’s website at www.gov.ie/en/publication/97c19-working-group-to-examine-defects-in-housing/
The level of consultation and engagement that the Working Group undertook with stakeholders and interested parties both here and abroad was extensive. As a result, the report is rich in data regarding the nature and scale of defects as well as the cost of addressing defects. The Working Group’s recommendations along with the evidence gathered and options for potential supports contained in the report will be of considerable assistance in informing next steps. I will give the report full consideration, in consultation with Government colleagues, and will develop a plan to address the situation that many homeowners find themselves in through no fault of their own.
Complex issues remain to be resolved to facilitate of multi-unit developments in the defective concrete blocks scheme, which it is expected will be worked out in consultation between officials from my Department and the Office of the Attorney General.
