Council unable to provide clarity on defective blocks grant

CLARE County Council has said that it is continuing to engage with national government and the Housing Agency on the new scheme for homeowners with defective blocks. 

Despite the fact that the Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme was extended to Clare and Limerick last June, the grant has still not opened to homeowners in the Mid-West.

The scheme itself was revised through legislation signed by the President in July, but is still not operational in the four counties it covers.

Last week, angry homeowners, facing another winter of uncertainty, told Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien of their frustration at being “trapped” in their unsafe homes. They also appealed to him to give a date for the opening of the new scheme. 

In response to a query from The Champion, the Council said it is still awaiting clarity on the role of each local authority.

“Since the approved inclusion of County Clare properties onto the Defective Concrete Block Redress Scheme, we are continuing to engage with both the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, and the Housing Agency,” a spokesperson said.

“The scheme’s specific details and the role of each Local Authority within the scheme are yet to be confirmed. We appreciate the serious concerns of many householders within the county. When we have the necessary information available on process open to apply for redress we will make same available to the public.”