Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
607. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the introduction of a mica or pyrite redress scheme for households in County Tipperary; if a person (details supplied) will be able to obtain financial assistance through the mica or pyrite redress scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36228/23]
View answerI commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023. The new scheme is now open to applications in four counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick and Mayo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/8002e-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.
Section 5 of the Act contains details on the process for the inclusion of additional local authority areas into the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme. This statutory designation process can commence upon a request by a local authority or by myself, as Minister to the Housing Agency, and whereby the 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.
My Department has engaged directly with Tipperary County Council on this issue. The formal process for the entry of a new local authority into the DCB scheme was set out. This engagement will continue and appropriate support will be given in regard to any application for an extension of the scheme to Tipperary.
