The Irish Government has opened the Interim Remediation Scheme (Scheme) for the funding of emergency fire safety defect works in apartments and duplexes, constructed between 1991 and 2013.

Administered by the Housing Agency on a nationwide basis the Scheme is open to applications from Apartment Owner Management Companies (OMCs).

The Scheme will fund interim measures to provide an acceptable level of fire safety in buildings, pending completion of the full remedial works.

The works will include all necessary fire safety measures including water ingress and structural damage and will be funded under a statutory scheme that will be legislated for next year. Work is already underway in the Department on drafting this legislation.

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The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O'Brien said the Scheme will "ensure that important measures can be put in place immediately to guarantee the long-term safety of the many thousands of apartment residents across Ireland".

In a statement, Mr O'Brien said:

"I am delighted that the housing Agency have committed their knowledge and resources to helping to design and now operate this Scheme on a nationwide basis. Their experience and expertise gained over many years in, for example, the Pyrite Remediation Scheme and the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Scheme will I am sure, prove to be invaluable in helping to ensure the successful implementation of this Scheme during 2024.

"This Interim Scheme is the result of a significant period of consultation with homeowner’s representatives. I would like to pay tribute to their professionalism, diligence and patience through this process, I have engaged with them regularly on this issue throughout the last number of months. Their insights have been an essential element that has allowed my Department, the Housing Agency and Local Authority Fire Services to put together this Scheme that will release funding for vital emergency measures in advance of the full statutory scheme being ready next year."