Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2024
219. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that the Housing Agency is adequately resourced to service the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme and to ensure that the backlog of applications is worked through as swiftly as possible. [2263/24]
View answerMy Department approves an annual budget for the Housing Agency in respect of its role in the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks scheme. This funding is to cover the operational costs of a regional office, payments due to framework consultants and professional support and costs. My Department is committed to ensuring that the Housing Agency will continue to have the appropriate level of resources necessary to fully meet their responsibilities under the new Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme across all the counties covered by the Scheme.
The Housing Agency determines the priority in which it may assess dwellings, both under the initial damage threshold (BCA) application stage and the remediation option grant assessment stage. Prior to the enhanced scheme commencing the Housing Agency committed to a Damage Threshold Determination issuing within 60 days of the referral date received for counties Mayo and Donegal. To date the Housing Agency has adhered to these timeframes.
