There is no question that progress has been made in the State’s response to the defective concrete crisis.
For many years, homeowners experienced a lack of recognition, support and certainty. That has changed to a degree.
The Defective Concrete Grant Scheme has been established, grant limits have been increased, and the principle of full redress has been recognised in policy. This progress has been driven by the sustained efforts of impacted homeowners and campaigners.
However, acknowledging progress does not mean ignoring reality.
For too many families across Donegal and other affected counties, the scheme as it currently operates is still falling short, financially, practically and emotionally.
If we are serious about justice for homeowners, we must be honest about what remains broken and what must change.
Where the scheme has improved
It is important to say this clearly: without sustained pressure from impacted homeowners and campaign groups, this scheme would not exist in its current form.
Improvements such as higher grant caps, limited side-by-side options, and moves towards retrospective payments represent real and hard-won gains.
The acceptance that homeowners are not at fault, and that this crisis arose from systemic failures in regulation and oversight, must remain central to every decision taken from here on.
Where the scheme still falls short
Despite these improvements, serious gaps remain.
The Science being applied is faulty with no interim guidance whilst the review of IS 465 is ongoing.
Eligibility thresholds continue to exclude households whose homes are visibly deteriorating but do not yet meet rigid damage criteria. Families are being told to wait until their homes worsen before qualifying. This position is neither safe nor humane.
Timelines are another major issue.
The process from initial application to completed remediation is far too slow. Delays in testing, approvals, contractor availability and payment processing leave families in limbo for years, not months.
During that time, cracks widen, stress builds and lives are put on hold.
Early applicants, those who acted quickly and in good faith, have in many cases been penalised. Rising construction costs leave families facing significant shortfalls despite doing everything right. That is fundamentally unfair.
Partial builds are excluded.
Apartment owners and residents in multi-unit developments remain in a particularly precarious position. While individual homeowners have a defined scheme, many apartment residents affected by defective concrete still lack clarity, certainty and a clear pathway to remediation. This must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
The Government are providing a ‘Grant scheme’; a grant does not allow for recovery of rebuilding costs.
A lack of rental properties and the failure to provide temporary modular housing, means people literally have nowhere to go.
Ordinary homeowners are expected to be project managers.
The current scheme does not support the rebuilding of important community facilities such as creches and community centres.
The real-world consequences
Behind every application number is a family living with uncertainty.
People are postponing major life decisions, including putting children through college, starting families, changing jobs or retiring, because they do not know whether their home will be safe, repairable or financially viable.
The stress is relentless.
Constant assessments, paperwork, waiting for decisions and watching further deterioration take a serious toll.
This is not just a housing issue. It is a mental health issue, a financial issue and a community issue. It is an earthquake in slow motion.
No family should be left carrying the burden of a failure that was entirely outside their control.
Why “100% redress” must mean 100% in practice
“100% redress” cannot be a slogan.
It must mean that homeowners are not left out of pocket, not for remediation works, not for professional fees, not for temporary accommodation, and not because costs have risen beyond outdated assumptions.