Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 July 2023
481. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the provision of emergency funding for interim fire safety works in buildings with fire safety and other defects including how much funding will be made available this year; how it will be accessed; and when the funding scheme will open. [35355/23]
View answer490. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the progress made on the introduction of the interim measures associated with the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. [35462/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 481 and 490 together.
Since the receipt of Government approval in January of this year, I have been working to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the scheme to establish supports for the remediation of fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013 on a statutory footing.
A key aspect of this work is the development of a Code of Practice, in the context of the Fire Services Acts, to provide guidance to relevant professionals, including guidance on interim safety measures. I expect to be in a position to publish this Code of Practice in the coming weeks.
This Code of Practice will be a key feature on which the operation of the statutory scheme will be based. It will support the development of a reasonable and practicable approach to resolving fire safety defects, and to ensure a consistent approach nationwide to remediation.
The scheme will incorporate a means or methodology, based on the Code of Practice, for prioritising the allocation and nature of support and funding, to ensure that the highest risk buildings will be the first to be supported.
In order to ensure that important life-safety works are not paused, remediation works related to fire safety defects, entered into or commenced from 18 January 2023, will form part of the remediation scheme, subject to terms and conditions. The details of this process are being worked out as a priority in parallel with the Code of Practice.
The scheme will be administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis and interaction and interdependency with local authority fire services and others is being considered, with the remediation of fire safety defects carried out to the satisfaction of the local authority fire services. An advice and information service and portal within the Housing Agency is in the process of being established.
In addition, work is also underway to draft the required legislation, which will include the scope, eligibility and conditions of the remediation scheme. While I am working on the development of the scheme as a matter of priority, sufficient time is required to draft the legislation to ensure that the scheme is fit for purpose, provides value for tax payer’s money and contains appropriate oversight and governance measures.
Subject to the legislative process, it is intended that a scheme would be in place in 2024.
