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06 Sept 2025

Opening of online portal for Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme welcomed by Minister Charlie McConalogue

Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme to provide grants up to €420,000

Reporter:

Reporter

01 Mar 2024 3:33 PM

Email:

news@donegallive.ie

Confirmation that Donegal County Council has launched the next phase of the online portal for the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme has been welcomed by Donegal government minister, Charlie McConalogue.

“This opening of the payment module for applicants who have received a remediation option and grant amount is a positive development,” the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine said.
“So far €21 million has been paid to homeowners by Donegal County Council through the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. I welcome the progress being made in the new scheme, and it’s important to see more homeowners transitioning onto the new scheme each week, " Minister McConalogue added.
Stressing that the delivery of a new scheme for homeowners affected by the mica defective concrete block issue continues to be the most important issue for him as a government minister, he continued: “It has been a challenging process to get the new scheme in place and to resolve the many issues that defined the previous scheme. New legislation was passed in summer 2022, and new regulations fully introducing the new scheme were finally approved in July 2023.
“Since then, over 300 homeowners have received their new grant, which can be up to a maximum of €420,000 and at build rates, which have been recommended independently by the Chartered Surveyors of Ireland. Importantly, these rebuild rates are to be updated under the new scheme each year to reflect updated building costs as there is no doubt the scheme will be needed for many years to deal with the volume of homes that are affected. So far, approximately 50 homes have been fully completed, with more than 70 homes more now under construction."
“Under the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, there will be regular staged payments for builders and homeowners, and Donegal County Council has put together a strong team to make sure the new scheme can work well. The enablement of the new online portal by Donegal County Council is crucial to ensuring that stage payments will operate efficiently and quickly for homeowners and builders. 
“I will continue to liaise closely with Donegal County Council, the Minister for Housing and the the Housing Agency to ensure that remaining issues are addressed and that the scheme is delivered in way that properly supports homeowners," Minister McConalogue added.

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