In this unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, we all know there are certain individuals and families who are living in particular fear - fear about safety in their homes and fear about the cost of remedying defects in the construction of their homes. Last month, for example, I heard from a mother who informed me that the possibility of her daughter progressing to third level education had been cast into doubt because of the cost to the family of having to fix the defects in their defectively built apartment to ensure it is made compliant with fire safety regulations.

We understand the working group on defective homes will be completing its report next week, but we also understand it will have found that up to 100,000 apartments have been affected by fire safety and other defects, with up to 44,000 apartments in the process of being remediated right now. We understand properties in every county in Ireland are affected by construction defects, with a particularly acute problem in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Dublin South-Central, Dublin Bay North and Dublin Fingal. Indeed, in my constituency of Dublin Bay South I have heard from some people who are affected too and I have met members of the Construction Defects Alliance. I have heard great fears expressed by individuals and families. There is the fear of debt due to the cost of fixing the defects, but also a fundamental fear about safety in their homes, primarily due to fear of fire because these homes were defectively built.

I understand the working group is concerned that vital safety works on the apartments, which is ongoing, might stall or be deferred pending any new developments, causing unnecessary risk to the health and safety of the tens of thousands of families and individuals living in those apartments. We know that vital safety works must continue and that people must be supported to ensure they do continue.

Will budget 2023 include measures to support people living in homes where there are these construction defects? For example, will the budget include 100% refundable tax credits for owner-occupiers who have paid already or who are paying ongoing levies for the remediation of defects in their apartments? Some building management companies will allow for the cost of compliance works to be paid in instalments, but that is not the case for everyone. Many of those who have already been charged with the cost of remediating their apartments say they are unable to pay and have been dealt intimidating legal notices and even threats to put attachment orders on their property.

It amounts to a life of fear for the many people affected. It is hard to exaggerate the scale of this pending crisis, which has been somewhat under the radar until now but which I believe will be highlighted by the forthcoming report. It has certainly been highlighted to me by the people I have met. They are in fear. They are in fear of increased insurance costs. Those who wish to sell their homes, perhaps because their families have grown and the apartments are no longer big enough, are forced to stay in unsuitable spaces that are far too small. They simply cannot move on from an apartment that was built defectively and for which an outstanding cost for remediation still exists. Lenders will not allow the taking out of mortgages on defective properties, so the prospect of selling is a real challenge.

What will the Tánaiste and the Government do? Will the Tánaiste give a commitment to ensure the budget will address this and guarantee support for those who are so adversely affected?

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It is one I am very familiar with in my constituency as well, where a large number of apartments have apartment defects. People have been sent bills, sometimes for €10,000 and sometimes for as much as €60,000 per apartment, to carry out necessary repairs. The inevitable happens. Some people can afford to pay, some cannot afford to pay and some people will not pay. Therefore, the money cannot be raised and the work cannot be carried out, so people are left in a terrible limbo where they are unable to sell the apartment and they are worried about whether it is even safe for them to continue to live there.

The Government responded to the issues that arose with pyrite and it has responded with the new mica scheme for Donegal and other counties. I believe we will need a response to assist people who are facing large bills as a result of defects in apartments. I cannot give any commitments at this stage, but as the Deputy mentioned, a working group on this was established by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien. A report is due. I have not seen the report but I believe it is imminent or close to being completed. Once we have that report we will be able to give consideration to it. However, the basic principle applies that there will have to be Government assistance for people who, through no fault of their own, purchased apartments that are in buildings where there are defects and those defects have to be repaired.

I thank the Tánaiste for that positive response and his acknowledgement that the Government will have to provide a response for those who, through no fault of their own, are living in this twofold fear in these apartments, the fear of debt and the fear about fire safety, in particular. Following the horrific Grenfell fire in London, that is uppermost in all our minds.

The scale of this problem is immense. It is thought that up to 80% of apartments built between 1991 and 2013 may be affected by these construction defects. Many of the people who are living in these apartments are living a life of fear and a life in debt because of the costs already incurred for remediating the defects. I believe a full remediation scheme will have to be developed, and we will work constructively with the Government to ensure that is done. However, we are conscious this will take time and it is vital that remediation work would continue in the meantime. We are asking the Government to ensure people who are paying remediation levies or have paid them will not be at a disadvantage. In the short term, we believe that will mean providing refundable tax credits to owner-occupiers and grants to social landlords in budget 2023 to ensure the fear that so many individuals and families are experiencing may be alleviated.

I have not seen the report yet so I am not sure what measures, actions or remedies are being suggested. I do not want to comment in detail until I have. However, I understand the point the Deputy is making with regard to some degree of retrospection. I mentioned some of the blocks I am familiar with in my constituency where people have paid or are paying the levy and others have not paid or cannot pay. It would be unfair if those who have made a contribution already did not get any State support while those who did not or could not did. I am sure that is something the group has examined. I do not know what it has recommended. I understand the point the Deputy is making, and it is a valid one.