Irish Government advances large-scale apartment remediation programme

Ireland is moving to implement a large-scale remediation programme to address defects in up to 100,000 apartments and duplexes built during the Celtic Tiger era. The Oireachtas Housing Committee will recommend measures to ensure the €2.5 billion scheme is fully operational before the end of 2026.

The programme will address critical safety issues, including fire hazards, structural integrity, and water ingress. A significant recommendation is the adoption of an ‘end-to-end’ model based on the Pyrite Resolution Board, differing from the government’s original grant-based proposal.

This approach will allow the Housing Agency to oversee remediation work conducted by contractors, ensuring quality, consistency, and cost-effectiveness.

Committee recommendations highlight the need for project managers to assist Owners' Management Agencies, reducing governance risks associated with multi-million-euro remediation contracts. Urgent fire safety works may be fast-tracked through potential derogation from public procurement rules.

The Minister for Housing is advised to prioritise the legislation’s passage, enabling applications to open within 2026.

“The Minister should seek a derogation from public procurement rules for the procurement of urgent fire safety work to address threat to life remediation issues,” the report states.

The scheme is projected to cover between 62,500 and 100,000 units built from 1991 to 2013. Total costs are estimated between €1.56 billion and €2.5 billion, including additional allowances for insurance premiums and fire warden services.

The remediation initiative represents one of the largest national-scale property improvement and procurement efforts in recent Irish history, combining regulatory oversight, contractor management, and legislative support to tackle long-standing safety and structural challenges.

Follow the full story on how Ireland’s new apartment remediation scheme will shape procurement opportunities and contractor engagement across the construction sector.