Clare homeowners affected by defective concrete blocks are facing delays of up to 18 months in the appeals process, the Dáil has heard.
Raising the issue during Topical Issues, Clare TD Joe Cooney said several families in the county had lodged appeals last year and had heard “absolutely nothing since”, despite receiving an initial acknowledgement. He said the lack of updates was adding to the pressure on households already dealing with structural damage, rising building costs and uncertainty about whether they will be able to rebuild.
“One Clare family told me they are ready to start work but cannot move a step until their appeal is decided,” Deputy Cooney said. “They deserve to know where things stand.”
He also criticised the absence of basic information on the number of appeals submitted, processed and decided, noting that a parliamentary question he submitted in January seeking this data received what he described as an unsatisfactory reply.
Responding on behalf of the Government, Minister of State Christopher O’Sullivan said he recognised the distress caused by the delays and confirmed that the appeals panel is “statutorily independent” in its work. He said additional staffing had recently been provided to support the panel and that new determinations had begun to issue.
The Junior Housing Minister acknowledged that the process had taken “longer than originally envisaged”, partly due to requests for further information from appellants, but said this was intended to ensure each case was fully assessed. He committed to seeking whether the Department could provide some of the operational data requested, provided it did not interfere with the panel’s independence.
Deputy Cooney also asked when the ongoing technical review of the scheme would be published and sought an update on supports for social housing units in Clare affected by defective blocks. Minister O’Sullivan said he would revert with a specific timeline and noted that the appeals process will form part of the statutory review of the scheme.