Questions

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…

2186. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Health whether there are any bespoke services available through Children's Health Ireland (CHI) specifically for children suffering from respiratory conditions linked to defective concrete homes, specifically if there are dedicated respiratory clinics, asthma services, or multidisciplinary supports for children living in these defective homes; if she will confirm the a…

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 …

650. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether it is the position of his Department that homeowners affected by defective concrete blocks have no external or independent complaints or oversight mechanism available to them in respect of delay, maladministration or procedural unfairness in the appeals process; if so, the way in which this position is compatible with princ…

651. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role of his Department in determining or influencing the operation of the Defective Concrete Blocks Appeals Panel, including its terms of reference, appointment process, funding, staffing levels, procedures and timelines; whether, in view of this role, he accepts that the administration and operation of the panel must remain su…

723. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the origin of guidance issued by the Housing Agency stating that homeowners cannot avail of a full technical review following the revision of the I.S. 465 following an appeal and adjudication by the Appeals Panel; whether this guidance was issued at the direction of, or with the approval of, his Department; and whether h…

724. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason guidance regarding access to technical reviews was issued only to homeowners whose remediation options were downgraded after 6 November 2024; whether different rules apply to homeowners depending on the date of downgrade; and how this approach is consistent with principles of fairness and equal treatment under the defect…

612. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the role local authorities will have in conducting or contributing to technical reviews of applications under the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme; to specify the nature of that role; the expertise to be applied; whether local authorities will be acting independently or on behalf of the Housing Agency; and if he will make a stateme…

613. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which independence will be ensured in the technical review process for homeowners dissatisfied with determinations under the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme, particularly where a review may be carried out by the same body, or an associated body, involved in the original determination; and if he will make a statement on …

614. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the difference in function, authority and outcome between the statutory independent appeals process, and the proposed technical review process; to confirm whether a technical review constitutes a new determination, a re-assessment, or an advisory exercise only; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5573/26]

615. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether details of the technical review process, including who conducts it, governance arrangements, and decision-making criteria, will be published in advance of homeowners being invited to participate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5574/26]

616. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the anticipated completion date for the review of IS,465; the expected timeline for the commencement of the technical review application process following its completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5575/26]

633. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify, in respect of the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, whether the 78-week timeframe applicable to the determination of appeals continues to run where an appeal is paused or cannot be progressed pending the completion of a technical review arising from the ongoing revision of I.S. 465; if he will further clarify whet…

634. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether, under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme, the way in which the statutory 78-week timeframe for appeals is suspended where an appeal cannot be determined pending a technical review linked to the revision of I.S. 465; whether this position has been communicated to the housing agency and local authorities; and if no s…

156. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason the rates per square metre under the defective concrete blocks grant scheme have not been reviewed since the introduction of the enhanced scheme in 2023, despite significant construction cost inflation; if he will commit to an immediate review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4664/26]