Questions

1633. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a practice (details supplied), is consistent with the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022, which provides that a determination and the reasons for that determination are to be notified to the applicant prior to the exercise of any right of appeal; the way in which an applicant can m…

1634. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether requiring applicants to make a choice (details supplied) in advance of receiving the full report may undermine fair procedures, transparency and the effective exercise of appeal rights; whether this practice arises from legislation, regulations or administrative guidance issued by his Department or the Housing…

1635. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review a practice (details supplied) to ensure that applicants are provided with the full chartered engineer's report and reasoning prior to being required to make any decision affecting their rights under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23602/26]

1661. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he or his Department have engaged with any stakeholder groups from sectors (details supplied) examining issues related to the insurance and mortgageability of homes with building defects; and if he will provide details of such engagements, including meeting dates, attendees, and any documentation or proposals shared; and if he …

1662. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether consideration is being given to introducing a structural risk classification system for residential properties that includes a rating scale to assess structural condition and associated lending or insurance risk; if so, the current status of these proposals; his Department's role in their development; and whether they will…

1700. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to the enactment of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Act 2025, and noting that part of the scheme has been administrated by Donegal County Council, when he expect the remainder of the amendments under the Bill to commence administration across all relevant local autho…

1821. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current system of proactive market surveillance of concrete construction products, being undertaken by the State; to detail the types of testing now required to ensure such products are fit-for-purpose prior to being placed on the market and used in construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27120/26]

1822. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a breakdown, by county of the number of proactive market surveillance inspections carried out in relation to construction products, for the years 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27121/26]

1823. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide the number of inspections conducted which included testing of aggregates as part of the inspection process for each of the years 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27122/26]

1824. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the type and number of corrective actions issued to economic operators arising from inspections; and the number of economic operators that were temporarily or permanently closed due to non-compliance with relevant regulations for the years 2024 and 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27123/2…

1825. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm if the Building Standards Agency (BSA), as recommended in the June 2024 report (details supplied) has been established; if so, to provide details of its current operational status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27124/26]

1826. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current staffing levels of the Building Standards Agency; to detail any plans to increase staffing to align with the estimated requirement of approximately 500 personnel, as recommended in the June 2024 report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27125/26]

1827. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the drafting and progression of primary legislation required to establish the proposed Building Standards Regulatory Authority (BRSA); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27126/26]

625. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a detailed breakdown of the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme, which commenced in July 2023 under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022; the number of homeowners in County Mayo that have received a formal remediation option determination from the Housing Agency or th…

626. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of the determinations under the defective concrete blocks scheme that were made under the enhanced scheme, and from the previous scheme, for Mayo homeowners, with a breakdown by options 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and any blended options, including the corresponding dates of determination and issuance of grant approval; and if he w…

627. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria or methodology used to prioritise the order in which appeals are processed regarding the defective concrete blocks scheme; and the reason there appears to be significant variation in processing times, such that some appeals submitted six, nine or more months after others, have been determined, while earlier appeals may…

628. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps being taken to ensure consistency, transparency and fairness in the processing of appeals; and whether his Department intends to publish processing timelines or a standard framework for appeals to provide homeowners with clarity on expected waiting periods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22209/26]

629. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his attention has been drawn to cases where homeowners are excluded from the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme due to the absence of a certificate of completion prior to 2021, despite the fact that construction of the dwelling was halted due the discovery of defective concrete, rather than any act of abandonment by…

630. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline whether any legislative amendments or administrative measures are currently being considered to address situations where homeowners are effectively excluded from the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme due to technical compliance issues, despite clear evidence that works ceased due to defective materials; and…

1077. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of applications under the original defective concrete blocks grant scheme that reached the maximum grant payable under that scheme; the number of such cases in each local authority area administering the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19637/26]

1080. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether homeowners under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme are provided with the engineer’s final report relating to their dwelling before being asked to indicate whether they wish to avail of a technical review following an assessment by the Housing Agency under I.S. 465; whether electing to avail of a technical review d…

1081. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason correspondence issued by the Housing Agency to homeowners under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, following completion of an assessment under I.S. 465:2018, asks homeowners to indicate whether they wish to avail of a technical review or allow the Remediation Option Grant approval to issue to the relevant local…

1082. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Housing Agency uses a standard template for correspondence under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, specifically the wording asking homeowners to ‘please reply… with your instructions of how you wish to proceed’ after a technical assessment; if a template exists, to provide a copy; if not, the basis on which indivi…

1099. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the ongoing review of I.S. 465, the Irish standard used for the assessment and remediation of dwellings affected by defective concrete; the current status of this review; whether any interim findings or updates will be made publicly available; the estimated timeframe for the completion and publication of the…

649. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has obtained legal advice to support the position that complaints concerning the administration, delay, procedures, resourcing or transparency of the Defective Concrete Blocks Appeals Panel fall outside the remit of the Office of the Ombudsman by virtue of the panel being described as independent; if so, the legal basis …