Schemes for houses affected by pyrite or mica

Mica and pyrite are minerals found in the ground and in rocks that are excavated from quarries and used in building blocks. These minerals cause defects in building blocks, which lead to cracks and other problems in buildings and homes constructed with the defective blocks.

Mica was mainly found in quarries in the north west of Ireland and some properties in this area are affected by it. Pyrite caused similar problems in buildings in the east of Ireland.

There are schemes to help homeowners repair or rebuild homes that have been affected by mica and pyrite.

The Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme provides financial support to people, so they can fix properties that have been damaged because defective concrete blocks were used to build them. Defective concrete blocks are blocks that have excessive amounts of mica or pyrite.

The enhanced scheme began on 22 June 2023, and it replaced the original scheme. It is available in Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo. (Sligo was added to the scheme on 23 October 2024.)

The Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 and the related regulations provide the legislative basis for the new enhanced scheme.

How much will I get?

On 23 October 2024, the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme was increased. It covers 100% of remediation work up to a maximum of €462,000 (previously €420,000).

The grant you get depends on the damage to your home and its size.

The grant has 5 remediation options (ways to solve the issue).

The options range from a full demolition and rebuild of your property, to a demolition and rebuild of the outer leafs of the affected walls in the property.

The option you qualify for depends on the level of damage to your property. The Housing Agency will assess and test your property to see which option is most suitable.

If you don’t get the full rebuild option and then need a full rebuild in the next 40 years, the scheme guarantees that you can get another grant.

The regulations (pdf) explain how the grant amounts are calculated for each remediation option.

What is covered by the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme?

The Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme covers:

• Professional fees
• A building condition assessment report
• Approved remediation works
• Alternative accommodation costs
• Removal and storage costs
• Essential immediate repair work
• The cost of disconnecting and reconnecting services and utilities like electricity and internet
• Value Added Tax (VAT)

Do I qualify for the scheme?

To qualify for the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, your property must:

• Be damaged because defective concrete blocks were used to build it. Defective concrete blocks are blocks with excessive amounts of mica or pyrite in them.
• Be in Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo or Sligo
• Be your main residence, or a rented property that was registered with the Residential Tenancies Board before 2 November 2021
• Have been built before 31 January 2020
• Not be an unauthorised structure

The scheme may be extended to other counties in the future.

You can only get the grant for one rental property.

How do I apply for the enhanced scheme?

1. Get a report confirming the damage

If you think your property has been damaged because defective concrete blocks were used to build it, you should get a competent building professional to assess the damage.

A competent building professional is a building surveyor, engineer or architect who is listed on the statutory register for their professional body and has done any required training.

They will assess your property and complete a building condition assessment report. A template of the building condition assessment report is available in Schedule 1 of the regulations (pdf).

The report will recommend that you apply to your local authority for the scheme if the damage to your property:

• Is consistent with damage caused by defective concrete blocks
• Meets the damage threshold for the scheme (pdf)

A building condition assessment report costs approximately €500 to €750. You pay for the report. But, if your application is successful, the grant will cover this cost.

2. Apply to your local authority

If your building professional recommends it, you should apply to the local authority for the scheme. You will need to send your building condition assessment report to your local authority when you apply. Your local authority will have information about how to apply on their website. They may use an application form or an online portal.

• Clare County Council
• Donegal County Council
• Limerick County Council
• Mayo County Council
• Sligo County Council

How are applications decided?

The local authority will send your application and report to the Housing Agency. The Housing Agency will review the documents and check that your property meets the damage threshold for the scheme. If your property meets the damage threshold, the Housing Agency will tell your local authority and they will inform you.

Then, the Housing Agency will get a competent engineer to assess and test your property. The Housing Agency will use this information to decide what remediation option applies to your property and the grant amount you will get. The local authority will contact you to give you this information.

Can I get my application reviewed? 

Since 6 November 2024, you can get the Housing Agency to complete a technical review of your application, if you were offered a remediation option that was not the full demolition of your home.

The review of your application will consider recent research about damaged properties in Donegal. If you decide to continue with the remediation works, you continue to have the 40-year government guarantee.

Can I appeal a decision?

If you are not happy with a decision made when applying for the scheme, you can an appeal it. You can appeal:

• How your local authority validates your application
• The Housing Agency’s decision about whether your home meets the damage threshold for the scheme
• The remediation option that is chosen for your home
• The grant amount that is approved for your home
• If the local authority refuses to make the grant payment that has been approved

How to make an appeal

To appeal, complete the Notice of Appeal Form (pdf) and send it with any supporting documents to:

Appeals Panel
c/o the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme Unit
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Custom House
Dublin 1
D01 W6X0

Your appeal will be reviewed by an independent appeals panel, which is made up of building and legal professionals. It is free to make an appeal.

What if I applied for the original scheme?

If you applied for the original remediation scheme, your application transfers to the enhanced scheme. You will benefit from the increased grant amounts available under the enhanced scheme.

You may have to provide additional information to the local authority. The FAQ on the enhanced scheme has a section on transitional arrangements that describes how this works.

Where can I get more information?

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published information about the scheme on gov.ie including a detailed FAQ.

The local authorities administering the scheme will also have information on their websites about how the enhanced scheme works and can advise you about the process.

The Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland (BPFI) has information for homeowners whose homes have been affected by the presence of defective concrete blocks. BPFI’s information has advice about your mortgage and applying for credit, if you are in this situation. It also provides contact details for lenders, mortgage providers and mortgage servicers. Mortgage servicers are companies that some lenders use to manage the day-to-day administration of your mortgage loan.

The Defective Concrete Products Levy is a 5% levy on concrete blocks, pouring concrete and other concrete products. It was introduced to help pay for the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme.

The levy has applied since 1 September 2023. It is paid by the person or company who first supplies or sells the concrete product. The levy does not apply if the concrete product is sold on again. If you are liable for the levy, you must:

• Register with Revenue as a chargeable person
• Keep records of all first supplies of concrete products
• Submit a return and pay any levy for each accounting period

If you have questions about the levy, contact Revenue using MyEnquiries on ROS or MyAccount. Revenue has more information about the levy, including examples of when it applies and how to pay.

The Pyrite Remediation Scheme remediates properties significantly damaged by pyrite. The Scheme is managed by the Pyrite Resolution Board who manage the application and appeals process.

If your home has been affected by pyrite, this scheme will cover 100% of the costs involved in repairing your property.

The Housing Agency has published detailed information and FAQs about the scheme (pdf) where you can find information about properties that qualify for the scheme and how to apply.