95. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the interim fire safety scheme, the fire detection and alarm safety scheme and the retrospective payments scheme for people living with defects including applicant numbers, approval numbers, funding allocations, drawdowns and number of homes that have completed each of these schemes. [74702/26]

As of the end of September 2026, 302 applications to the Interim Remediation Scheme have been validated, having met the required eligibility criteria. These applications represent 26,724 residential units, with circa 73% in the Dublin region.

Approximately €9.3 million has been paid by the Housing Agency to the four pathfinder OMCs to date, representing 595 residential units. Remediation works have commenced in three locations.

In February 2026, the Government announced some significant amendments to the Interim Remediation Scheme in order to simplify procurement and cut through administrative hurdles. This has allowed works relating to fire detection and alarm systems to be completed more quickly, while ensuring residents can remain safely in their homes until full building remediation is finished.

Ten OMCs were invited to participate representing 1,945 residential units. The Housing Agency has received four tender submissions to date. Letters of advice from the Local Authority Fire Services have issued to nine of the OMCs. Funding has been allocated for this initiative and will be disbursed as claims arise.

As per its decision of January 2023, the Government is committed to consideration of remediation costs already incurred.

A Retrospective Costs Pathfinder project using a representative sample of eight OMCs was established to identify an appropriate process to address retrospective issues more broadly. The Retrospective Costs Pathfinder Exercise is now complete.

A Memorandum for Government was brought to Cabinet on 21 April 2026, and approval was received on a number of policy recommendations on Retrospective Grant Payments. These policy recommendations are informing the drafting of the Apartment and Duplex Defects Remediation Scheme Bill which is at an advanced stage and is listed for publication this session. The statutory scheme, which will include retrospection, will be in place as soon as possible following its passage through the Dáil.