Following 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. The Regulations will 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. Draft Regulations have been prepared, which are the subject of ongoing consultation with key stakeholders, including with homeowners’ action groups. The 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 have been reviewed and following engagement with homeowners' action groups I expect to finalise the Regulations this month.
The table below sets out the details on applications and the drawdown amounts under the current Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme since June 2020.
Total Drawdown by Local Authorities for current DCB Grant Scheme Since June 2020
|
|
08/05/2023
|
08/05/2023
|
|
|
Stage 1
|
Donegal
|
Mayo
|
Total
|
|
Applications Received
|
1242
|
310
|
1552
|
|
Applications Approved
|
688
|
290
|
978
|
|
Stage 2
|
|
|
|
|
Applications Received
|
143
|
85
|
228
|
|
Applications Approved
|
93
|
69
|
162
|
|
Value of Stage 2 Approvals
|
€16,398,951
|
€17,106,654
|
€33,505,605
|
|
Final Payment Received
|
37
|
6
|
43
|
|
Number of applicants who received funding:
|
1,045
|
276
|
1,321
|
|
Funding Drawdown
|
€13,186,021
|
€5,850,296
|
€19,036,317
|
