736. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeframe for homeowners affected by defective concrete can expect formal clarification on the operation of the technical review mechanism following the publication of I.S. 465:2026; whether revised guidance and eligibility criteria have been finalised; when they will be published; and whether a target date has been set for the implementation of a revised review process. [64897/26]

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 National Standards Authority Ireland (NSAI) has recently (2 June 2026) published a revised standard, I.S. 465:2026.

Eligible applicants who have requested a technical review may choose to proceed under the revised testing standard or, alternatively, await the outcome of the review of the Scheme and the Act before proceeding.

I understand that the Housing Agency has already begun the process of contacting homeowners directly regarding the options available to them.

My Department is working closely with the Housing Agency and local authorities to ensure that homeowners at different stages of the scheme know what these changes mean for them and the Housing Agency recently issued a statement on their website regarding an update for homeowners: www.housingagency.ie/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2026-What-This-Means-for-Homeowners-FINAL_V4.pdf. The information contained in this document clearly explains how homeowners at different stages of the scheme may progress at this time.