Questions

83. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the tendering and procurement process currently in place for the appointment of building professionals to carry out building condition assessments under the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; the way in which tenders are invited, evaluated and awarded; the criteria used in assessing submissions; to provide a list of th…

1450. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the proposed apartment, duplex and multi-unit dwelling remediation scheme will provide for the remediation of all multi-unit developments impacted by defective concrete; the anticipated timeline for enactment of the legislation and commencement of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1556/26]

1486. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the consideration of letters of recommendation submitted by local authorities in regard to the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; to confirm when such letters of recommendation submitted by Meath County Council and Wexford County Council will be processed; whether a submission from Louth County …

562. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will urgently examine the situation facing community childcare in County Donegal, many community-based early-years services are severely affected by defective concrete; the specific supports available or that will be made available, to early-years and childcare facilities whose buildings have been structurally compromised; an…

503. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address an emerging issue affecting landlords who own dwellings approved under the defective concrete blocks scheme; if he will confirm whether such landlords will be able to issue a notice of termination to facilitate essential demolition and rebuild works after the new residential tenancies legislation comes into effec…

262. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will provide an update on the review of costings (details supplied) that underpin the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; if he accepts that these costings are now significantly out of date given current construction inflation and market conditions; and if he will confirm when the long-overdue re-evaluation of th…

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]

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]

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…

491. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will ensure that his relevant Department officials participate in the Multi- Stakeholder Working Group including representative groups (details supplied) established to address the range of problems affecting victims of the defective concrete block crisis, given the need to restore a normal and functioning housing market in t…

286. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a homeowner who withdraws from the statutory appeals process under the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme thereby loses their statutory right of appeal permanently; and, if not, the provisions that exist for a subsequent appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53265/25]

287. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a homeowner whose appeal under the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme is unsuccessful may subsequently apply for a full technical review of their application by the Housing Agency; under what legislative or administrative basis such a review would be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53266/25]

288. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the legal standing of the technical review mechanism announced in November 2024; if it will be placed on a statutory footing with a turnaround timeline; the means by which it is intended to interact with the statutory appeals process provided under the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged By the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 202…

289. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he accepts that in the current absence of statutory clarity on the interaction between appeals and technical reviews under the enhanced defective concrete blocks scheme, homeowners risk making life-changing decisions without knowing the consequences; if he will urgently provide definitive guidance to address this; and if he will…

307. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of transitional applications that remain to be processed by the Housing Agency arising from the transfer of applications from the original defective concrete blocks grant scheme to the enhanced defective concrete blocks grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53666/25]