Rose Conway-Walsh challenges defective block scheme failures

Go raibh magad, aes gae heerlech. Minister, how much more do homeowners impacted by the defective blocks in Mayo and other counties have to endure, whether they are partially completed their rebuilds or whether they are trying to get into the scheme? At every age, homeowners were giving assurances that they would not be disadvantaged by the timing that they entered the schemes. Now homeowners who are in the middle of rebuilding their homes and their lives are told they have to wait for legislation to be prepared and passed to enable them to avail of the higher rates. It is utterly disgraceful that these homeowners are treated like this. It is clear that the scheme is not fit for purpose and in many cases only provides for 70% of the costs of remediation or less. To many of the impacted homeowners, they are locked out of the scheme because of affordability. If there is to be any fairness in this whole scandal, you must provide retrospective redress. You must end the damage threshold being used as a barrier to the scheme. And you must amend the scheme to allow homeowners impacted to access upfront payments to commence remediation works. You must allow the flexibility on the timelines for start and completion. You must make the increase in the cap for defective block scheme to be open to all affected homeowners, not just the new entrants. And you must ensure that those responsible for the manufacture of defective blocks are held to account and that a full public inquiry into the defective material, how it was sold into the housing market and that the industry contribute to the overall cost of the remediating of defective properties. Where is the scheme also, Minister, for the council houses and approved housing bodies? There are many questions that need to be urgently answered in relation to this scheme. Thank you, Deputy. Minister? I want to thank the deputies. There were three deputies down. Is Piers D'Arty absent or is he going to be here? Okay, that's fine. So I wish to thank deputies Walsh and McLaughlin and Lachlan for raising this matter, which I'm taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Brown. As the deputies are aware, the remediation of dwelling damage by the use of defective concrete blocks Act 2022 commenced on 22 June 2023, which contains the current grant scheme and related regulations adopted on 29 June. Following updated costs reports that the Department received from the site of Chartered Surveyors in Ireland and advice from the expert group, a 10% increase in the overall scheme cap was brought forward in October 2024, which he did acknowledge, raising the cap from $420,000 to $62,000 for all homeowners yet to receive a grant determination by that date. It should be noted that the grant scheme rates were also examined and increased to between 7.4% and 8.7% in November 2024. The cap increase is in line with the provisions of the Act as set down by the Arcturus, which allows for a maximum increase of 10% in the overall scheme cap. The Act also provides that any increase in scheme cap or grant rates will apply to eligible and relevant owners that are yet to receive a determination with respect to remuneration options and grant amounts. The Department sought legal advice that confirmed that extending these increases to a wider group of relevant owners requires amending the Act. In the interest of equity and fairness, Minister Brown intends to extend the increase in the scheme cap and rates to apply to a wider group of relevant owners. This will be examined as part of the remuneration of dwelling damage by the use of defective concrete block amendment bill, which has been included in the summer 2025 government legislation programme for priority drafting. A number of other matters have come to light during the first 18 months of the operational scheme, and Minister Brown will consider a number of technical amends also as part of this legislative change. These changes will assist in the efficient administration scheme and will enable a smoother operation of the grant scheme for applicants. Minister Brown met with various stakeholders in Donegal on Monday 12 May, including representatives from MICA Action Group, along with a large group of Donegal County councillors and senior managers of the council. You do acknowledge that you did meet with him. Each group raised important matters, including the need to extend the eligibility cap and rate increase to a larger group of homeowners. The visit demonstrated to the minister first-hand the very real difficulties homeowners are facing. It was further impressed upon the minister that the continuing importance and contribution to the effective concrete block scheme in helping them to fix their homes and move on with their lives. The government is committed to assisting homeowners to remediate damage caused by defective concrete blocks. The grant scheme was put in place to help people to fix their homes and move on with their lives. The scheme is working and real progress is being made. At the end of April 25, there were 2,697 applications to the grant scheme, 162 homes, where remediation works had been completed in the further age of 24, where work has commenced. The government understands that it can be difficult and challenging times for homeowners. On a human level, I expect it is very difficult for people. The Department continues to work with key stakeholders in the operational scheme, including the relevant local authorities, the housing agency, and the Homeowners Liaison Officer, where the concerns of homeowners came to the Department. Just to deal with a point that Deputy Conway Walsh referenced, a draft of the Vick County Block's Social Homes Scheme for Local Authorities and Approved Housing Bodies is being finalised. The scheme will include grant rates and capsules out in the private scheme for homeowners. The scheme will apply to local authorities and AHP homes located within designated local authority areas. The Department of Housing and Local Government will apply the approach that focused on efficiencies and the best use limiters are available to undertake remediation works. Thank you, Minister. Minister, you say that the government understands that this can be a difficult and challenging time for homeowners. I am sorry, but you don't, and the government doesn't. And to think that the minister, I'm glad he went to Donegal, but my God, you'd have to be hiding under a rock for the last 15 years to know that this wasn't one of the biggest scandals that has ever faced this country. And you haven't answered the question, when is the legislation going to be amended? I have families who are really, really suffering. They're at a loss of tens of thousands of euros. A couple who are getting married later on in the summer. They want answers. We have said, in opposition, that we will facilitate, day or night, the legislation to go through. I don't care whether, and I know the same is for Park McLaughlin and for Pierce D'arty and the others. I don't care if it's the middle of the night, if it's the weekend. Whenever we have to get this legislation through, we have to get it through in days. We cannot continue to wait for weeks and months. Mr. Minister. Mr. Minister. Thanks very much to both Deputy Conway-Walch and Deputy McLaughlin. I understand the frustration for people in the areas. As I already stated at the start, the Minister and the Department of Social Act legal advice that confirmed extending the increases you're talking about to a wider group of relevant owners requires the amenity of the Act. I think everyone's agreeable on that. In the interest of equity and fairness, Minister Brown intends to extend the increases in the scheme and rates to apply to a wider group of relevant owners. This will be examined as part of the elimination of dwelling damage by the use of the Effective Conflict Blocks Amendment Bill. And that is, and you know as WIP, Deputy McLaughlin, that it's in the summer 2005 government legislature for priority drafting. So there is... Well, I can only, I suppose, deal with what is this position now. And it is down for priority drafting. I know the Minister is taking this matter very seriously. And as indicated, there are other issues that have come to light during the first 18 months of the operation. And the Minister will consider a number of technical amendments also as part of this legislative change. These changes will assist in the efficient administration scheme and will enable the smoother operation of the grant scheme for applicants. I've no doubt you've already brought these matters to Minister Brown's direct attention. I will do likewise now. The officials will be watching. And I know, I suppose, on a human level, the concerns you're bringing of your constituents that represent these are matters that I will bring directly back to Minister Brown. Thank you. Thank you.