Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
75. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when emergency funding for interim fire safety and other measures for homeowners and OMCs with Celtic tiger era building defects will be made available. [54149/23]
View answerI fully acknowledge the difficulties that homeowners and residents of many apartments and duplexes are facing, and the stress that is caused when defects arise in relation to their buildings. The Government is committed to helping those whose lives have been impacted by this issue.
Since the receipt of Government approval in January of this year, I have been working hard to progress the various programmes of work that are required to place the apartment remediation scheme on a statutory footing.
Bespoke legislation is needed to underpin the remediation scheme, the cost of which is estimated at more than €2 billion. The Government is entirely focused on establishing a scheme that is fit for purpose and works for the people impacted. I expect the draft legislation will be published in 2024 and that subject to the legislative process, the statutory scheme will be in place shortly thereafter.
I recognise that there may be some apartment developments that will need to carry out certain fire safety works as a matter of urgency. My Department is working closely with the Housing Agency and key stakeholders to facilitate the provision of funding for interim fire safety measures on an administrative basis. Further details of this scheme will be published shortly.
