Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2025-12-16
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James Browne (FF), Wexford

Amendment No. 16 proposes to insert a new subsection that mandates the appeals panel to publish certain anonymised information to pertaining to the decisions it makes. I very much want the appeals panel focused on the decision-making process for appellants and to make those decisions as quickly as possible. Statistics around the work of the appeals panel are under review and, where appropriate, will be published in due course.
The appeals panel is statutorily independent of the Department and Minister. It is a matter for it, in the first instance, regarding the information it provides. I understand it is open to considering how it communicates its work. The Department stands ready to assist and fund this if required, including, for example, the use of a bespoke appeals process panel website. However, for now, I understand the panel is quite rightly concerned about improving the speed with which it can issue decisions to homeowners and is concentrating its efforts on this.
Amendment No. 17 proposes to insert a subsection in the Bill to replace subsection (10) in the principal Act. The proposed amendment would modify the text in subsection (10)(b) by removing the requirement of the principal Act in respect of a series of minor errors by the designated local authority or the Housing Agency which, when taken together, amount to a serious or significant error of law. It would also remove the ability of the appeals board to direct the designated local authority or Housing Agency, as the case may be, to reconsider its decisions in accordance with such directions as the appeals board may consider appropriate. This ability is required to ensure, where the appeals board believes it is useful to direct its consideration, that is permitted under the principal Act. Therefore, I cannot accept these amendments.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2025-12-16/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:28+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-16