Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 December 2023
454. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to introduce a standalone scheme for persons living in a home built prior to 1991 which has construction defects; and the existing reliefs for such persons. [55326/23]
View answerThe Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of addressing building defects. It commits to an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing’s report "Safe as Houses?”
In response to the difficulties that homeowners are facing due to the presence of deleterious material in their houses, my Department has put measures in place to support homeowners including providing considerable financial assistance to remediate their homes. In this regard, the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme are both currently in operation and are underpinned by legislation.
Furthermore, on 11 December I announced the opening of the Interim Remediation Scheme for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. The Scheme will provide for the full funding of interim measures in order to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in buildings, pending completion of the full remedial works.
Full remedial works, which will include all necessary fire safety measures as well as those related to water ingress and structural damage, will be funded under a statutory scheme. I expect the draft legislation to be published in 2024. It is intended that subject to the legislative process, the statutory scheme will be in place shortly thereafter.
Homes built prior to 1991 are eligible to be included in both the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Schemes provided they meet the terms and conditions of these Schemes.
There are currently no plans to introduce a further standalone scheme for homes not covered by any of the three Schemes I have referenced.
