Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
773. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, given the recent final report submitted by Sligo County Council, Sligo will be included in the defective concrete blocks grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28260/23]
View answerMy Department received correspondence from Sligo County Council on 11 May 2023 requesting inclusion in the scheme, and this will be considered upon commencement of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022.
Once the 2022 Act is commenced, Section 5 contains details on the process for the inclusion of additional local authority areas into the enhanced DCB Grant Scheme. This statutory designation process can commence upon a request by a local authority or by me, as Minister to The Housing Agency, and whereby The Housing Agency thereafter carries out technical testing of dwellings in a given local authority administrative area. As soon as practicable after the completion of any testing, The Housing Agency shall make a recommendation to me whether an order to designate the whole or part of a local authority's administrative area should or should not be made by the Government. Local authorities seeking to formally apply to be designated in the enhanced grant scheme, by making a request to The Housing Agency pursuant to Section 5 of the 2022 Act, may do so upon it's commencement.
I aim to commence the 2022 Act and adopt the relevant Regulations in the coming weeks.
