Pringle calls on Government to ensure remediated defective block-affected homes are mortgageable
- Updated: 23rd November 2023
Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, has called on the Government to ensure that homes affected by defective blocks will be mortgageable once remediation work has been completed.
Addressing the Tánaiste in the Dáil today, Deputy Pringle said: “Due to the presence of defective blocks, many homes across Donegal and the country are deemed to be not mortgageable. It is extremely disappointing that the Government did not address this in the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme and it has left families with much uncertainty and insecurity.
“Homes should be regarded as normal for lending purposes once remediation work has been completed. However, when the Redress Focus Groups sought clarification on this from the banking sector, they were told that the matter is being ‘looked into’ and no clarification was given.
“Families in defective block homes have been forgotten time and time again, and they continue to be let down by the Government. You have a chance to change this going forward, Tánaiste,” he said.
The deputy raised the issue during questions on policy or legislation.
Deputy Pringle asked: “Will you liaise with the banking sector on whether the various remediation options will restore mortgageable conditions to the homes affected?”
In his response, the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin, said remediated homes should be mortgageable and he will ask the Minister for Finance to engage with the banking sector to discuss that.
