Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021
344. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason homeowners in County Clare affected by the pyrite issue and who have organised themselves into a group (details supplied) have not been included in the recent local property tax exemption that has only included homeowners in counties Mayo and Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37601/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra346. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement his Department has undertaken to date with a group (details supplied); if there is a proposed meeting in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37603/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra347. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will include a representative from a group (details supplied) in further discussions concerning the pyrite remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37604/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 344, 346 and 347 together.
Donegal and Mayo are currently the only local authority areas within the scope of the Defective Concrete Blocks grant scheme.
The proposed LPT exemption being formulated by the Department of Finance is intended to only apply to homes which have received a Stage 1 approval – Confirmation of Eligibility letter under the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. Homeowners outside of Donegal and Mayo are not currently entitled to apply for a Stage 1 approval and therefore an LPT exemption. That situation will change if the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme is extended to other local authority areas and a process exists for individual local authorities to take a lead in this regard.
My Department is in ongoing engagement with local authorities and local action groups that are currently within the scope of the scheme and with the relevant local authorities in respect to discussions on requests for an extension of the scheme to other counties.
In response to concerns being raised about the scheme by homeowners in Donegal and Mayo, I established a time bound working group to review the issues of concern and report to me with recommendations by 31 July 2021. Membership of the working group comprises of three homeowners from Donegal, three homeowners from Mayo, three officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, one official each from Donegal and Mayo County Council and a Housing Agency representative. Many stakeholders sought admittance onto the working group including public representative and engineers. In order to keep the group manageable in the context of a time bound period for reporting, the group was limited to 12. For that reason homeowner representation was restricted to Donegal and Mayo. I am satisfied that the homeowners of Donegal and Mayo, who make up 50% of the working group, can adequately represent the views of all homeowners who may be affected, regardless of their location.
