Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I commenced the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) on 22 June 2023, which provides for the enhanced grant scheme, and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.

Section 5 of the Act contains details on the process for the inclusion of additional local authority areas into the enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Grant Scheme. This statutory designation process can commence upon a request by a local authority or by myself, as Minister, and whereby the Housing Agency thereafter carries out technical testing of dwellings in a given local authority administrative area.

I understand that Fingal County Council, in accordance with Section 5(7) of the Act submitted a request to the Housing Agency on 21 September, 2023 for inclusion in the scheme. The Housing Agency has commenced the process of procuring a Chartered Engineer from their existing Framework Panel to assist in their investigations and consultations. It is envisaged that the investigations (including concrete block sampling and testing) and consultations required under the Act will start in December 2023.

As soon as practicable after the completion of the investigations, the Housing Agency shall make a recommendation to me whether an order to designate the whole or part of a local authority's administrative area should or should not be made by the Government.