I assure Deputies that I will be brief. A number of points were raised and I will conclude quickly. We have substantially changed the grants, with 100% options all the way through. We have also provided a guaranteed second grant option for non-rebuild remediation if required, with a 40-year guarantee, which is something that residents rightly looked for. It was not there before. It has gone from 20 years to 40 years. We have agreed on the extension of the scheme to other affected counties and have now grounded in n…

I will respond specifically on amendment No. 9. I want to make sure that people are aware that the Housing Agency will look at foundations and particularly the foundations of homes that have been proven to have pyrrhotite in the block. That work is under way and will be under way by the NSAI, to test scientifically should there be an issue with the foundations. I said this clearly on Second Stage. I outlined that and people know that should the instance occur that there is an issue with this material, namely, pyrrh…

I will respond to the amendment the Deputy has tabled. It proposes to add a new definition in section 2 in respect of a “standards assessment and compliance report” and insert the requirements in respect of the said report in section 41. The report would require the Minister to publish a report confirming the amendment of various standards in full compliance with others. It is not possible to commit to publishing a report confirming such matters when the research and reviews that are needed to be in a position to c…

At the committee hearings, one of the most eminent and respected experts on pyrite and deleterious materials, Mr. Paul Forde, presented to the committee and did a really good job as chair of the expert group. He was very clearly of the view that an independent review and a scientific study of the material needed to be done. By the way, he had another view on foundations that was contrary to what some other experts proposed. This work needs to be done urgently. Deputies have asked the question and of course we have …

I read the amendment. When an amendment includes the words "as far as is possible", it leaves it open to interpretation. What is as far as possible? I am explaining where we are at. This review is important. It will be based on scientific research done independently. I reiterate that should problems or issues be found within it, we will amend the scheme accordingly. Everyone would say that such decisions need to be based on scientific evidence and that is what we will do. The amendment would require me, as Minister…

Deputies will be aware that the €420,000 overall cap is set by the Government. It is a significant change from the existing scheme, at 90% maximum grant, to 100% maximum grant under the new scheme for different house types. There is a cost per square foot of between €161 and €145 per square foot.

They are very significant changes. Under the Bill, every 12 months those rates can be varied by a Minister by regulation without changing the Bill. The SCSI set the rates, and I commend it on the work it did. It was an important piece of work. I committed to homeowners at the time with regard to the previous rates, and homeowners had understandably been very critical of those rates, that we would get the work done independently through the SCSI and that I would accept those rates, which I did. They were independent…

I am allowed to respond, Deputy Ó Broin. People can get their homes back on track and get their lives back on track. That is what we want. We want engagement from the Housing Agency as well, which will be there, and resourcing of the agency on the ground. There are independent appeals and independent assessments. This is a vast improvement on the previous scheme, and I thank the residents for the work they have done in ensuring that we got this far. What the Oireachtas has to do this week and next week is pass the …

All I will say to the Deputy is that nobody is throwing around figures of €2.7 billion. That is not the purpose. The State needs to intervene in a market failure on behalf of its citizens, to help people to get their homes and their lives back together. I am not throwing around figures of €2.7 billion. That is the cost initially. That only takes in a certain amount of inflation. The decision the Dáil will make this evening and the Oireachtas will make by the end of next week is whether we will stay with an old sche…

-----greatly improve the situation and provide 100% redress for people. I will not go over the other points raised. I have already put on the record many of the different changes. Voting against the legislation means there is no new scheme in place and it is further delaying the remediation and replacement of people's homes and enabling them to be able to see a future and some light at the end of the tunnel. To be clear, it is voting this down after all the consultations right through the process since June 2020. I…

We would have no legislation, because that scheme was set up under regulations only.

It will not be grounded in primary legislation as it needs to be. We will not have the Housing Agency involvement in it or the independent appeals. We will not have all the infrastructure that is set up to make this scheme work. It will all fall. That is what happens if this is voted down.

I will make a couple of points and respond to Deputy McHugh. I thank him for all his engagement right the way through. I also thank Deputies Calleary, Carey, Cathal Crowe and many others who have engaged very positively and constructively, in what is a difficult situation, to improve this scheme and work it through. I have no doubt that, through the regulations, there will be other areas we will need to work through to seek further improvements. I assure Deputies I will continue to work with them. Let us be also be…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The defective concrete block disaster has haunted lives in Donegal, Mayo and beyond for too long. People who built and bought family homes to make a life in saw their dreams crumble around them. Instead of a shelter from the storms of life, their homes became prisons. With no help available, they turned to the State for support. When that support was found wanting, they took their message directly to the Government through all routes available. We have listened and…

The Chair has already ruled on this.

The recent increase in homelessness is of great concern to me and to the Government, as it is to all Members of the House. I assure the House that we are doing everything in our power to tackle this problem. As the Deputy is aware, I established the national homeless action committee, which I chair and which is made up of representatives from my Department, all the State agencies and the NGOs, to ensure that we address prevention and exits from homelessness. In addition to the measures already in place, to get to t…

I share the Deputy's concerns and I am acutely aware of our responsibilities in this regard. We must accelerate the supply of social homes. We are going to build more social homes this year than in any year since the foundation of the State. This is welcome, but also badly needed. I am also targeting a new voids programme for each local authority that will be fully funded. I have asked the local authorities to be mindful of the allocation of those void properties and to look specifically at our homeless list. As th…

Sorry, the target for this year is 9,000 new build homes, and this is just on the new build side of things. To speak directly to the issue of the purchase of properties with tenants in situ , I have also established our housing delivery team, which is made up of representatives of our local authorities. I have made it abundantly clear to all of them, and through the County and City Management Association, CCMA, and the Local Government Management Agency, LGMA, as well, that they are to purchase homes with tenants i…

I agree with the Deputy that the Emmet Road scheme will be a flagship project for the Dublin City Council and will deliver social, cost-rental and community facilities to a very high standard, in full consultation with the local community. I have met the local community and intend to do so again very shortly. In July 2020, as the Deputy will know, a serviced sites fund application was made and approved for 395 cost-rental units. On Friday, 17 June, the council submitted a revised application under the new affordabl…

Thankfully, we see more and more affordable housing sites open up right across the country now. We have our advance purchase schemes. We approved five more last week. That is good. That is moving. As for St. Michael's Estate specifically, I know the Deputy raised that a number of weeks ago during Question Time. I am more than happy to sit down at the appropriate time with Opposition spokespeople and others who are interested in this. It might be appropriate to wait until we process the affordable housing fund appli…