1907. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason an inherited transfer can preserve relevant-owner status under section 24 of the enhanced defective concrete block scheme while an inter vivos transfer to a child cannot; whether his Department has considered allowing a qualifying relevant owner to transfer their interest to a child without extinguishing the property’s eligibility under the scheme; whether section 24 provides any discretion to recognise your child as the new relevant owner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63089/26]

The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 as amended by the Act of 2025 underpins the Grant Scheme which provides grant funding to people whose homes have been affected by Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB).

A number of amendments contained in the 2025 Act came into operation on 25 February 2026 and more recently further provisions commenced on 27 May 2026.

The Grant Scheme confirms that an individual who acquired a relevant dwelling on or after 31 January 2020, other than a dwelling in respect of which a letter of assurance has been issued (in which case remediation works have already been carried out), shall not be a relevant owner where he or she knew or ought to have known that defective concrete blocks were used in the construction.

The 2022 Act deals with the transfer of eligibility by allowing a change of relevant owner in limited circumstances related to the death of a relevant owner who has a valid application under the grant scheme.

Further changes were made under the 2025 Act to deal with certain limited family circumstances but it does not include the situation described. I will ask my Department to consider the matter raised in due course.