Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions
Dail Éireann — 2026-04-29
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Charles Ward (RDR), Donegal

I have constantly raised the issue of side-by-side rebuilding under the defective concrete scheme through amendments, a motion in the House and parliamentary questions. This is happening in people's homes right now. For many families, side-by-side building is the only workable way to rebuild while staying within their communities in Donegal. The Government has indicated that it will be available in certain, limited circumstances but those circumstances are not clear and the provision is not yet operational. Families still do not know how it will apply to them and the uncertainty is causing real difficulty in planning and rebuilding for families to actually move forward. I am dealing with families directly and speaking to them every single day and their cases are coming through my office, where people are trying to understand how they are meant to proceed. There is a significant number of people affected and they are older homeowners and disabled homeowners. Side-by-side building is a way for them to move forward. There are consequences for the delays being put in place at the moment for the rebuilds to move forward because it is time-sensitive. It would also avoid moving disabled and older people out of their communities when they can build side-by-side if they have the land next to each other and can proceed. Families remain on site, there are no rental payments and there are no storage costs. Everything is there and it is fiscally responsible. It allows them to move on.
I am dealing with a family in Carrowkeel who have a child who is severely disabled. They are currently dealing with electrical issues with their house because it is structurally unsound and is moving. That child, who will be 18 next week, is on an air mattress and when it goes down she is prone to ulcers and back sores. Her framework cannot be bolted to the house because the house is not suitable, so the family is waiting to go. They are in their house but the house they are waiting to build is out in the garden. We are waiting for approval but we need approval and we need answers.
When will this scheme commence and when will homeowners who have the space and capacity to carry out side-by-side rebuilding be able to do so under the scheme? Will it set out clearly when this will be operational?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-04-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-21T01:01:08+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-04-29