Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2023
269. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason funding for owners of defective apartments is being withheld pending legislation; if emergency funding can be made available for those living in properties with serious defects which pose a health and safety risk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49804/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 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 are entirely focused on establishing a scheme that is fit for purpose and works for the people impacted.
Key to this has been the publication last July of a Code of Practice for the Remediation of Fire Safety Defects to support the development of a reasonable and practicable approach to resolving fire safety defects. The provisions of this Code of Practice will also ensure a consistent approach nationwide to remediation. My Department is currently working with the Housing Agency on advice and guidance on the steps Owners’ Management Companies (OMC) should take when carrying out such life-safety works.
The Housing Agency has now appointed a Programme Manager to coordinate the scheme and a web portal has been opened, where OMCs can indicate their potential interest in the future remediation scheme by inputting information on their developments. The Housing Agency presented a one-hour webinar on Monday, 13 November 2023 to assist users on how to use the web portal. I believe this shows continued progress in meeting the concerns of apartment owners.
My Department is also 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 will be published in the coming weeks.
While this work is progressing, work is advancing to draft the required legislation to place the remediation scheme on a statutory footing. It is expected the draft legislation will be published in 2024. It is intended that subject to the legislative process, the statutory scheme will be in place shortly thereafter.
