452. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Finance the ‘market value’ homeowners affected by defective concrete blocks are expected to declare for local property tax purposes, given that many of these homes are structurally unsound, unmortgageable, and effectively unsellable in some cases having a negative market value due to the cost of demolition and reconstruction far exceeding any residual land value; and th…
720. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a child with autism (details supplied) will not be given an SNA this year, nor will three other children in the same class with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58429/25]
980. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether the homeowner liaison officer appointed under the defective concrete blocks scheme has ever met with affected homeowners in a formal consultative structure, either in person or virtually; if not, the reason such engagement has not taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57747/25]
981. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of any formal mechanisms, structures, or processes in place for affected homeowners to provide input, feedback, or recommendations to his Department or the defective concrete blocks implementation steering group; if none exist, the reason homeowners are excluded from these decision-making processes; and if he wil…
982. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide copies of all emails, meeting notes, correspondence, or briefing documents generated by or submitted to the homeowner liaison officer regarding interactions with affected homeowners since the Officer's appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57749/25]
983. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the means by which his Department ensures accountability and transparency in the operation of the defective concrete blocks scheme, given that the homeowner liaison officer has not formally engaged with homeowners in any structured meetings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57750/25]
984. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the official terms of reference, remit, and reporting lines for the homeowner liaison officer; to confirm whether the officer has any authority to influence decision-making, escalate issues, or ensure that homeowners' concerns are addressed in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57751/25]
985. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify whether the homeowner liaison officer participates in the defective concrete blocks implementation steering group or any of its sub-groups; whether the officer is empowered to represent the views of homeowners in these forums; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57752/25]
986. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department intends to publish the activities, meetings, or outputs of the homeowner liaison officer; whether a regular report on engagement with homeowners will be made publicly available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57753/25]
987. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the dates, locations and attendance of all formal meetings of the statutory appeals panel under the defective concrete blocks scheme since its constitution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57754/25]
988. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the appeals panel has submitted any formal reports, recommendations or advice to the Department or Minister since its constitution; if so, to provide summaries or copies of such reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57755/25]
989. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the evidence, including reports, submissions, correspondence, or consultation records, on which his Department relies to assert that the defective concrete blocks grant scheme was designed to reflect the preferences of affected homeowners regarding remediation options; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5775…
990. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given that the structural risks associated with defective concrete, including pyrrhotite and sulphate attack, are already scientifically established, the reason his Department has not suspended partial remediation and implemented immediate, full, State-managed remediation to protect homeowners from ongoing structural, financial and…
991. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to set out the legal and policy basis on which his Department considers it reasonable and proportionate to allow homeowners to remain in dwellings subject to partial remediation, exposed to known structural risk, progressive property deterioration, and significant financial burden, pending a revision of I.S. 465 and the option of a…
992. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to protect the physical safety and health of homeowners currently living in unsafe properties subject to partial remediation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57759/25]
993. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken to mitigate the severe mental and psychological harm caused by prolonged uncertainty and limbo caused by waiting for reviews, as documented in research such as "An Earthquake in Slow Motion"; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57760/25]
994. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the means by which his Department's continuation of partial remediation complies with its statutory, constitutional and public law obligations, including the duty to act reasonably, proportionately and in the public interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57761/25]
995. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures being taken to ensure that the voices and experiences of homeowners affected by defective concrete are adequately represented and reflected in the drafting of proposed legislative amendments to the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, including any formal consultation, submissions or engagement processes; the means …
996. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the proposed legislative amendments to the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, including whether these amendments will recognise that all homeowners affected by defective concrete are in a vulnerable position, thus include provisions to allow for side-by-side remediation or rebuilding where possible, in or…
997. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the amendment to the defective concrete blocks grant scheme asserts that homeowners who completed remediation early were not disadvantaged by the transitional provisions of the 2022 Act; given that 43 homeowners completed remediation prior to the proposed cut-off for retrospective increases, to clarify how these homeowners will …
998. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify the position regarding the eligibility of apartments, duplexes and other multi-unit dwellings under the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; the reason, under the previous scheme, the term “dwelling” was defined to include a house, apartment, duplex or maisonette, whereas under the enhanced scheme, th…
999. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will clarify the scope of powers available to the appeals panel established under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 and related regulations; specifically, if he will confirm whether the appeals panel has the authority to reinstate a homeowner’s original engineer-determined r…
1050. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware that homeowners that have received emails from the Housing Agency, confirming that third party chartered engineering consultancy services providers have apparently experienced a cyber incident affecting its IT systems (details supplied); if he will urgently seek absolute assurance from the Housing Agency that no dat…
178. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Health if she will sanction the appointment of a WTE consultant paediatric endocrinologist into Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) which has been listed by Government and HSE guidelines as a critical resource needed since 2015, and has been included in LUH estimates for 2025, (but still not sanctioned), to fully support children with type 1 diabetes and their familie…
387. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the emergency funding application submitted by a school (details supplied), regarding structural issues arising from defective concrete; if her Department has completed or commenced an assessment of the extent of the defects; the interim measures being put in place to ensure the safety of pupils and staff; and if she will outlin…