Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 April 2024
34. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he anticipates that legislation to support the remediation of apartments and duplexes with fire safety, structural safety and water ingress defects will be passed while he is still in office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15693/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra48. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the legislation for the Celtic Tiger era defective home redress scheme. [15609/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 48 together.
My Department is currently, as a matter of priority, preparing legislation to put in place on a statutory basis, a remediation scheme for owners of certain apartments affected by fire safety, water ingress and structural defects. This legislation will establish supports for the remediation of these defects in purpose-built apartment buildings, including duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013. Given the complexity of the issues, including the significant amount of Exchequer funding that this Government has committed to assist affected homeowners, sufficient time is required to ensure that the scheme is fit for purpose, provides value for tax payers' money and contains appropriate oversight and governance measures. It is expected the draft legislation will be published in 2024 and that, subject to the legislative process, the statutory scheme will be in place shortly thereafter.
Pending the introduction of the statutory scheme, an Interim Remediation Scheme (Scheme) for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes has been in place since December 2023. The Scheme, which is being administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis, is open to applications from apartment Owner Management Companies (OMCs) via the Housing Agency’s website.
In the period since the Scheme’s launch, up to and including 31st March 2024, 128 applications are being progressed across 26 local authority areas, representing a total of 13,150 residential units.
