Background:
The Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage announced the commencement of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme on the 3rd July 2023.
Donegal County Council is tasked with administering the Scheme, on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage.
This report is provided as an update to Members on the implementation of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme. The report covers the period up to and including 6th November 2023.
At the commencement date, Donegal County Council had 1,296 applications received under the Previous Scheme which required transitioning to the Enhanced Scheme.
849 of the 1,296 applications received approval under the Previous Scheme. The current status of these 849 applications is outlined in Table 1.
Under the provisions of the Enhanced Scheme, the Local Authority has an administrative role. The technical assessment is the remit of the Housing Agency. The initial step for an application, following referral to the Housing Agency, is the Housing Agency’s Determination of Damage Threshold. Details on this cohort of applications is contained with Table 2.
Table 3 provides an overview of the value and number of Payments made to applicants since the introduction of the Enhanced Grant Scheme in July 2023.
Table 4 provides an overview on the Enhanced Scheme including applications from the Previous Scheme which are subject to transitional arrangements.
The DCB Grant Office continues to actively engage with applicants across the full scope of the Scheme including in respect of Validations, Incomplete Applications, Payments (Schedule 6), Change of Competent Building Professional etc.
The telephone clinics continue to operate every Tuesday and Thursday (9am – 12.30pm) to assist applicant with any queries and the DCB Team follow up with applicants outside of the telephone clinics.
The Community Facilitators also continue to actively engage in their respective areas providing assistance and support to applicants. The DCB Office meet with the Facilitators on a monthly basis to discuss emerging issues.
Explanation of Categories at 3rd July 2023:
Category 1A – Remediation Works fully completed
Category1B – Remediation Works in Progress
Category 2 – Grant Amount notified to applicant but works had not commenced
Category 3 – Stage 2 documentation submitted, but Grant Amount had not been calculated
Category 4 – Applicant notified of Stage 1 Confirmation of Eligibility & Remedial Option
*The applications received under the Enhanced Grant Scheme can be categorised as follows:
Principal Private Residence (PPR) – 102
Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) – 8