Government approves amendments to strengthen Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme
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The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD today announced Government approval for a series of legislative amendments designed to improve supports for homeowners affected by defective concrete blocks.
The amendments are designed to make the remediation scheme fairer, more practical and more supportive for families dealing with defective concrete blocks.
Under the amendments, greater flexibility will be introduced for semi‑detached and co-joined houses. If one property qualifies for remediation, the adjoining property may also be included for assessment under the Scheme, even where it does not meet the full damage threshold.
In certain limited cases, provision will be made for the construction of adjacent dwellings. This measure is intended to assist vulnerable families who face challenges in finding suitable alternative accommodation while their homes are being remediated.
Builders will now have to prove compliance before homes can be occupied, ensuring safer housing for families. A new process will regularise past works carried out without proper notification, while expanded enforcement powers give authorities more flexibility to resolve issues fairly.
Speaking after Cabinet approval, Minister Browne said:
"I’ve met directly with people impacted by this issue and witnessed the severe damage to their homes and how it has impacted their lives. So I have been determined to ensure a scheme that truly works in their best interests.
“These amendments are about fairness, practicality, and safeguarding the future. Homeowners impacted by defective concrete blocks deserve a scheme that works for them, especially in conjoined dwellings where remediation must be coordinated.
“Homeowners in semi‑detached and terraced houses will now gain flexibility, with adjoining or adjacent dwellings included in remediation to support families struggling with accommodation during repairs.
“At the same time, we are strengthening and extending building control enforcement procedures in the interests of ensuring compliance with Building Regulations.”
The amendments will now proceed to the normal Oireachtas legislative processes.
ENDS
Note for Editors
DCB Amendment Bill 2025
On 4 June 2025, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025 as a basis for priority legal drafting to provide retrospective payments for certain applicants to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme.
As provided for in the General Scheme of the Bill, the Bill also provides for a number of technical amendments to ensure the efficient administration of the scheme.
Main Provisions of the Bill:
- Relevant owners that incurred qualifying expenditure since 29 March 2024 that was unpaid due to them reaching the maximum scheme cap in place at the time of €420,000 will be able to apply to their designated local authority to have a new remediation option grant amount determined in line with the increased scheme cap and rates provided for under the scheme in October and November 2024. Upon receipt of this new grant amount relevant owners will be able to submit unpaid invoices for consideration and payment to their designated local authority in line with their new grant amount.
- Relevant owners who were given a non-demolition option (option 2 to 5) and that are yet to commence works or ceased works on site as at 6 November 2024 will be able to apply to their designated local authority for a technical review of their determined remediation option and grant amount upon publication of the revised national standard I.S.465.
- Relevant owners who have reached the maximum scheme grant cap under the Act cannot apply for ancillary grants. The amendment will allow these cohort to apply for ancillary grants while still ensuring the overall total payment to the homeowner remains within the grant scheme allowable amounts.
- The Act does not allow a person who does not satisfy the definition of a “relevant owner” to become a relevant owner where he or she is, or was, in a relationship with a relevant owner. The amendment will facilitate this for married couples, those in a civil partnership or co-habiting.
- The Act applies time limits of 65 weeks to complete remediation works upon commencement and a requirement to apply 12 weeks in advance of this expiry period to seek a further extension of the 65 weeks by a maximum of an additional 24 weeks. The amendment will increase the time to complete works from 65 to 130 weeks and reduce the application time from 12 weeks to 2 weeks for an extension.
- The Act allows the sharing of certain information with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) by designated local authorities where it is necessary and proportionate. In order to assist the SEAI ensure it does not double fund payments it makes under its energy retrofit scheme to DCB scheme applicants the amendment will allow the SEAI share information with designated local authorities.
- The Bill will allow the creation of a second charge on RTB properties where the relevant owners receives additional funding under the retrospective element.