Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 May 2023
376. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide details relating to the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21738/23]
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 (DCB) Bill 2022 on 21 June and the Bill passed through both Houses of the Oireachtas and was subsequently signed into law by the President on the 23 July, 2022.
The purpose of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 ('the 2022 Act'), as agreed by Government on 30 November 2021, is to implement and give legislative underpinning to a series of measures to improve and enhance the current grant scheme.
The 2022 Act which contains the enhanced grant scheme will be commenced as soon as related Regulations are completed, which Regulations provide details for the enhanced scheme not included in the 2022 Act such as application forms and templates, per square metre grant rates and the definition of damage.
The administrative areas of the following counties have been designated by the Act for the purposes of the enhanced grant scheme: Clare County Council; Donegal County Council; Limerick City and County Council; Mayo County Council. Draft Regulations were initially shared with these four local authorities included in the enhanced scheme in December, 2022 and I can confirm that the Council referred to responded with feedback.
The draft Regulations are also the subject of ongoing consultation with key stakeholders, including with homeowners’ action groups, which consultation must be concluded before the Regulations will be finalised and adopted. I extended the consultation period on the draft Regulations, which commenced in February 2023, by an additional two weeks, to 14 March 2023, following receipt of requests for time extensions from Donegal County Council and Mayo County Council. The submissions received are now being reviewed and when that review is completed I will engage further with the homeowners' action groups before finalising the Regulations which I expect to conclude this month.
My Department recently published an updated “Your Questions Answered” document on the Department’s website to ensure homeowners have the most up to date information available to them which can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link:www.gov.ie/en/publication/775c0-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme-your-questions-answered/
