100% Redress Party demands abolition of Concrete Levy and VAT exemption

The 100% Redress Party has demanded  the abolition of the Concrete Levy and VAT exemption for families rebuilding defective homes

Councillor Joy Beard has written to the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD, urging the Government to abolish the Concrete Levy for families rebuilding their homes under the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme and to exempt them from VAT on remediation works. 

The Department of Finance said the issue will be “considered” in Budget 2026. 

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In her letter to the Minister, Cllr Beard said that affected homeowners are already enduring “enormous financial, emotional, and health burdens” and that it is “deeply unjust that the victims of this crisis are now forced to pay a levy on the very concrete they require to rebuild their homes. “This levy was supposed to ensure accountability, yet the suppliers responsible for producing defective materials continue to escape any financial reprimand. Once again, those who did nothing wrong are left to carry the cost. ” 

Cllr Beard also highlighted that many homeowners are being charged VAT on remediation works despite having already paid VAT when they first built their homes. “This is a double taxation on people who are simply trying to secure safe homes for their families, ” she said. 

In response, the Minister’s Private Secretary confirmed that: “The Minister for Finance, Mr Paschal Donohoe TD, has asked me to acknowledge receipt of your recent email and to say that the contents will be considered in the context of the forthcoming Budget. ”

Cllr Beard said, “Families whose homes are crumbling through no fault of their own cannot be expected to carry yet another financial burden. They should not be taxed for rebuilding the very homes the State allowed to fall apart. The levy should be abolished for all homes being rebuilt under the Defective Blocks Scheme, and VAT must not be applied a second time. This is not only about fairness, it is about justice. The State cannot profit from the suffering of its citizens. The Budget must finally deliver fairness to families rebuilding their lives.”