In late 2024 the grant rates and the scheme cap went up. If you already had your grant determination by then, the increase did not reach you automatically. A change in the law now lets you apply for it. This page explains who can apply, what you need, and what happens next.
For the figures themselves, see grant rates and the cap. For deadlines, see time limits in the scheme.
What changed in the law?
- 23 October 2024: the scheme cap rose by 10% to €462,000 (S.I. 577 of 2024).
- 7 November 2024: grant rates rose by between 7.4% and 8.7% (S.I. No. 621 of 2024).
- These increases only applied to homeowners who had not yet received a determination. Reaching everyone else needed an amendment to the 2022 Act.
- 4 June 2025: the Government approved priority drafting of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Bill 2025.
- 2 December 2025: the Bill was introduced in Dáil Éireann.
- 23 December 2025: the President signed it into law, as the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Act 2025 (No. 20 of 2025).
- 2026: the Dwellings Damaged by Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Increased Grant) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 58 of 2026) brought the key parts into operation.
The purpose is to extend the October and November 2024 increases to owners who already had a determination but faced rising construction costs during their works. The 2025 Act also makes some technical amendments.
Not all of the 2025 Act has commenced yet. The rest will be commenced later, as soon as possible. This is a partial implementation, and further information will follow.
What do the 2026 Regulations change?
They bring in two key changes:
- You can apply for an increase in your remediation option grant.
- The time limits change: the period to complete works goes from 65 weeks to 130 weeks, and the notice you must give when asking for an extension goes from 12 weeks to 2 weeks. See time limits in the scheme for what each limit applies to.
The 2022 Act remains the main law for the scheme. The Regulations fill in the detail the Act allows the Minister to set. Read them together, with the Act as the primary source.
Am I eligible?
You can apply to your designated local authority for an increase if you:
- received your original determination before 23 October 2024, and have evidence of qualifying expenditure, and
- incurred qualifying expenditure since 29 March 2024 that went unpaid because you reached the cap of your approved remediation option grant.
What counts as qualifying expenditure?
Qualifying expenditure is money you spent carrying out works to satisfy your approved remediation option, after the date you were notified of your grant amount and determination, but not earlier than 29 March 2024. It includes both remedial works and professional fees.
What if I finished my works before the cut-off?
Reports indicate that homeowners who completed their works entirely before the cut-off dates remain outside the increased payments. If you are unsure whether your costs fall inside the dates, check with your local authority.
Before you apply: claim everything else first
Make your normal payment claims for all expenditure other than qualifying expenditure before you apply for the increased grant.
How do I apply? Form 1
You apply to your designated local authority using Form 1, Application Form for Increase in Remedial Option Grant, in the Schedule of the 2026 Regulations. It has three parts.
Part 1: your name and address. This lets the council confirm who you are and whether your application can be considered for an increased grant.
Part 2: qualifying expenditure and declarations. This lets the council check whether you:
- received your original determination before 23 October 2024
- have evidence of qualifying expenditure
- incurred qualifying expenditure since 29 March 2024 that went unpaid because you reached the cap
- have received part payment, total payment or final payment of your grant
In this part you also give your consent and make declarations required by the 2025 Act. You declare whether you, any joint owner, or anyone else with a legal or beneficial interest in the home did or did not receive any other payment, such as insurance or compensation, for damage caused by defective concrete blocks.
Part 3: data protection. This explains how the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) protects your personal data, such as your name, email and location.
Send the completed form to your local authority with proof of any qualifying expenditure you have not already been paid, such as itemised invoices. The council may ask for other documents or information.
Applying through the Donegal portal
In Donegal, a dedicated tile called "Apply for Increase to Remediation Option Grant" is being added to the Online Portal. You upload evidence of qualifying expenditure there: invoices for remedial works and professional fees. The tile becomes available once system development and testing are finished, and will open to each priority group in turn (see below). The council will tell applicants when it opens for their group.
Why is Donegal handling applications in priority groups?
Donegal County Council has over 77% of all applications to the Enhanced Scheme. Given the volume, it is processing increased grant applications in three priority groups, as it did when the Enhanced Scheme began.
- Priority 1: you completed remediation works after 29 March 2024 and have received your final payment. You have already used your full grant, so you come first.
- Priority 2: your works are under way and you are on site. You can still draw on your existing grant amount.
- Priority 3: you have received a grant amount but have not yet started works, or have not told the council you have started. When you start, you will draw on your existing grant amount first.
The council has asked for patience while staff work through new guidelines and a high volume of calls. Read the information on Donegal County Council's DCB Amendment Act page and the Online Portal first, and contact the Community Facilitators if you need help.
What happens after I apply?
Validation
The council should review your form and evidence as soon as possible. It checks that the costs are qualifying expenditure and that your application and evidence are accurate and complete. It may:
- ask you to clarify, in writing, anything you submitted
- ask you for more documents or information
- make enquiries, including having your home inspected by a suitably qualified person it authorises
All requests will be made to you in writing, with a period to reply. If you do not reply in time without a reasonable excuse, your application will be treated as withdrawn. If your circumstances change after you apply, tell the council straight away.
If your application is invalid, the council will refuse it and tell you as soon as possible using Form 2, Part B.
How the increased grant is calculated
The council uses the same floor and wall measurements the Housing Agency used for your original grant. It multiplies them by the rates in S.I. 621 of 2024 and applies the revised cap of October 2024 (€462,000).
The figure can then be reduced in two cases.
If you received money from outside the scheme (as you declared on Form 1), the council subtracts it:
- A is the increased grant the council calculates
- B is the payment you received from another person outside the DCB scheme
- A minus B equals C, the final increased grant that may be paid to you to complete your approved option
If your option is demolition and reconstruction and your new home has a smaller internal floor area than the one demolished, and the council reduced your original grant in proportion, it will reduce the increased grant on the same basis, as under the 2022 Act.
The decision: Form 2
The council will tell you its decision as soon as possible, with reasons, using Form 2, Increase to Remediation Option Grant Notice of Decision by Designated Local Authority:
- Part A approves an increased grant, and shows any reduction
- Part B refuses it
If you are approved, the council will tell you to complete Form 3 and list the documents you need.
Can I appeal?
Yes. You can appeal a decision to approve or refuse your application, under Part 5 of the 2022 Act, within 90 days of being notified. Write to:
The DCB Appeals Panel, c/o the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Custom House, Dublin 1, D01 W6X0.
The Appeals Process section of the Ministerial Guidelines of 2023 explains how to appeal. See also appeals.
How do I get paid? Form 3
Once approved, you claim payment of your qualifying expenditure using Form 3, Application for Payment of Increased Grant. You can claim a part payment or the full amount. Before paying you, the council deducts all payments already made to you under the scheme from your new increased grant.
Form 3 has three parts.
Part 1: who you are and your home
Proof of identity, one of:
- a valid passport
- a valid driving licence
- a Public Services Card from the Department of Social Protection
Proof the home complies with planning and is not an unauthorised structure:
- a copy of the planning permission for the home, and
- a Certificate of Compliance with Planning Permission, prepared by a competent building professional, covering the permitted structure and any exempted development
Proof you own the home, such as:
- a copy of the title deed
- a registration of title
- other legal documents proving ownership
Proof it is a relevant dwelling with grant approval, including:
- the reference number of your original application
- the document(s) from the council confirming grant approval and your approved remediation option
- your approved remediation option
- the costs the council approved for your works
The council may ask for any other evidence it needs.
Proof the home is your principal private residence (PPR): two of these
- your entry on the Register of Electors
- a bank statement dated within the last 6 months
- a current car or home insurance policy showing the address
- a document from a Government Department showing the address
- a Tax Credit Certificate (TCC)
- a Statement of Liability (previously P21) from Revenue
- a social insurance document showing the address
Or, for a home let under a tenancy registered with the RTB, all of these
- a certificate of registration in the residential tenancies register, with the registered landlord number and registered tenancy number
- a Tax Credit Certificate (TCC)
- a Statement of Liability (previously P21) from Revenue
A Tax Clearance Access Number (TCAN). Revenue gives you a TCAN when you get tax clearance. Anyone receiving grants or similar payments from a public body of €10,000 or more in a 12-month period needs tax clearance, and the council must check it before paying you. See tax clearance on the Revenue website.
Part 2: the works you are claiming for
This lets the council confirm you have completed the works the claim covers, and see what you have been paid so far. What you send depends on your situation.
Claiming a part payment. Send Form 4, Interim Valuation Certificate for an Increased Grant. This is separate from the Interim Valuation Certificate in Schedule 6 of the 2023 Regulations. It describes the works done since you notified the council that works started, or since your last interim valuation certificate. Part A must be completed by a competent engineer, or, where your option is demolition and reconstruction, by the competent building professional who designed and inspected the works. Include:
- an itemised invoice from your contractor, showing the cost of each element of the approved works you are claiming for
- an itemised invoice from your competent building professional for their fees for overseeing the works
- a detailed description of the works completed, with supporting evidence, prepared by your competent building professional
Claiming a final part payment or the full amount. Send:
- a Post Works Remedial Works Plan, describing the works completed since they started, as set out in Regulation 14 of the 2023 Regulations, by the competent engineer or competent building professional who designed and inspected the works
- a Certificate of Remediation from your competent building professional, in the form in Schedule 10 of the 2023 Regulations (S.I. 347 of 2023)
- evidence of what you spent completing those works, including itemised invoices showing each element and its cost
You have finished your works and already received your final payment, but have qualifying expenditure. Send Form 6, Final Valuation Certificate. Part A should be completed by a competent engineer, or, where your option is demolition, a competent building professional. Include:
- an itemised invoice from your competent building professional for their oversight fees
- an itemised invoice from your contractor for each element of the works you are claiming for
- Form 5, Post Works Remedial Works Plan – Inspection Plan, completed by a competent building professional, with a detailed description of the works and supporting evidence
- a Certificate of Remediation for the works
The forms summary in the Department's guidance describes who completes Forms 4, 5 and 6 slightly differently, so confirm with your engineer which professional signs each form for your option.
Part 3: declarations and data protection
Part 3a is your consent and declarations. As on Form 1, you declare whether you, any joint owner, or anyone with a legal or beneficial interest in the home did or did not receive other payments, such as insurance or compensation, for defective block damage.
Part 3b tells you about your right to privacy, how your personal data will be used, and your rights as a data subject.
Send the completed form and documents to your local authority. The council may inspect your home and ask for more documents. As before, requests will be in writing with a deadline, and if you do not reply in time without a reasonable excuse, the application will be treated as withdrawn.
What if payment is refused?
The council will tell you, with reasons, using Form 7, Notification of Refusal by Designated Local Authority to Make Payment of Increased Grant. You can appeal under Part 5 of the 2022 Act within 90 days of being notified, to the Appeals Panel, c/o the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Custom House, Dublin 1, D01 W6X0. The Appeals Process section of the Ministerial Guidelines of 2023 explains how.
The seven forms at a glance
- Form 1, Application Form for Increase in Remedial Option Grant: you complete this to apply.
- Form 2, Increase to Remediation Option Grant Notice of Decision: the council sends this to approve or refuse, with reasons.
- Form 3, Application for Payment of an Increased Grant: you complete this to claim payment, whether part, final, whole or after completion.
- Form 4, Interim Valuation Certificate for an Increased Remediation Option Grant: goes with Form 3 when you claim a part payment.
- Form 5, Post Works Remedial Works Plan – Inspection Plan: goes with Form 3 when you claim for completed works.
- Form 6, Final Valuation Certificate: goes with Form 3 when you claim for completed works.
- Form 7, Notification of Refusal to Make Payment of Increased Grant: the council sends this if it refuses payment, with reasons.
Does this cover ancillary grants?
No. Retrospection does not apply to ancillary grant rates, such as the alternative accommodation grant.
Where can I read more?
- 'Your Questions Answered' (February 2026). The Department published a 'Your Questions Answered' (YQA) document on the increased grant on its website. Read it alongside the Department's guidance note, as each covers points the other does not.
- Department guidance note. It is written for local authorities but is a useful reference for homeowners. It is not a legal interpretation, and it advises you to get advice from your competent building professional and other qualified professionals.
- Full guidelines to come. A full set of guidelines and a complete YQA will be issued to the local authorities and the Housing Agency once all of the 2025 Act has commenced.
- Ministerial Guidelines, June 2023 cover the rest of the scheme.
Key terms
- The 2022 Act: the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (No. 28 of 2022).
- The 2025 Act: the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Amendment) Act 2025 (No. 20 of 2025).
- Regulations of 2023: the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 347 of 2023).
- Regulations of 2026: the Dwellings Damaged by Use of Defective Concrete Blocks (Increased Grant) Regulations 2026 (S.I. No. 58 of 2026).
- Defective concrete blocks: blocks with excessive free or unbound muscovite mica, reactive pyrite, or both, or other deleterious material prescribed under section 41 of the 2022 Act.
- Damage: visible deterioration, degradation or cracking in an external or internal wall, caused by deleterious materials in the blocks, shown by one or more of the first five defects in the key to Figure 2 of I.S. 465:2018.
- Damage threshold: pattern-like cracking (combined horizontal and vertical) on at least one elevation, inside or out, with a crack at least 1 millimetre wide, as in the second defect in the key to Figure 2 of I.S. 465:2018.
- I.S. 465:2018: the Irish Standard for assessing, testing and categorising damaged buildings with these blocks, with Amendment 1:2020, published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland.
- Dwelling: a house. It does not include an apartment, maisonette or duplex.
- Owns: you hold the freehold, or a leasehold with more than 70 years left on the lease.
- Principal private residence: a home that an owner lives in as their only or main residence.
- Designated local authority: a council designated by order under section 5 of the 2022 Act. The five are Donegal, Mayo, Clare, Limerick and Sligo.
- Housing Agency: the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency.
- Previous scheme: the earlier Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme for Donegal and Mayo, under S.I. No. 25/2020 as amended. It was revoked when the Enhanced Scheme began, subject to transitional provisions in sections 56 and 57 of the 2022 Act.
- Tax Clearance Access Number: a number from Revenue confirming tax compliance.
- RTB: the Residential Tenancies Board.
This page is a plain-English guide, not legal or financial advice. Check the details with your engineer, your solicitor or your local authority. You can also contact us.
