Room to Improve - Grants 😱

How was this painted in the show?

Did Dermot and the QS apply for the grant with them or had it been done and they already had it? Possible it was done for dramatics - this would be the only way they could be living in thee house that I can see.

I must of missed that in the qualifying criteria for the grant.

I'd imagine the final price was loaded because of the grant. That's what a lot of builders do.

Thing is, we do have a clue what went on. The neighbours also know when the house was occupied / mot occupied. We know it was not derelict.

Who can the matter be reported to though, for investigation and possible repayment of the money? If it was "essentially a new build", as the design team said (their words, not mine), they should not have got a grant towards refurbishment of a derelict and vacant building?

The figures for grants were bonkers alright. Is there any other country that is so generous with them? My sister who lives in northern Ireland watched it and couldn't believe all the grants that existed, guessing NI very few.

Such matters can be reported to the Gardai. Let us know how you get on.

it was on the front page of yesterday’s Sunday Independent. In short, Bannon and Claire Irwin received a private briefing from the Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien’s department in September 2022 about the vacant homes grant before Darragh O’Brien announced an expansion of the grant’s eligibility. The department denied giving advance knowledge of this expansion to the show’s producers or striking a deal for grant promotion. Despite this, the Sunday Independent noted the department and the minister heavily promoted the episode for featuring the grants.

The department acknowledged Bannon’s personal acquaintance with Minister O’Brien, who are similar ages and grew up in the same housing estate, but they clarified there was no direct contact regarding this matter. RTÉ however confirmed that Bannon and Irwin did meet with the department to understand the grant mechanism. Kilkenny County Council’s vacant homes team also informed the Department of Housing about the grant being featured on the show.

The show demonstrated the grant’s impact, with Bannon expressing hope for expanded eligibility, which (no surprises for guessing) occurred, and the eligibility criteria was broadened during the filming period to allow for coverage for homes in remote rural areas from November 2022. The department insisted that the decision to expand the grant predated their contact with the show’s producers and denied any lobbying by Bannon or Irwin for changes in the grant.

Agreed. It is Ireland, it is not what you know, it is who you know. I think the general consensus is that the house was neither vacant or derelict, and should not have got a huge grant for the Refurbishment of Vacant and Derelict property. Even the Q.S. bragged (and was in agreement with Dermot Bannon) it was "essentially a new build". (her words not mine).

Why is it in many parts of the country it is impossible to do what Dermot did and get the grant? The person in the council elsewhere in the country said you were not allowed demolish as much as Dermot demolished on his show. Seems to be who you know, or what? Or if you work in the council as well? - I know of one person in the council elsewhere in the country who knocked most of a cottage but is keeping one wall, and it is suspected by some that he is getting every grant going for the new modern house he is building on the site of the old cottage.

The clients in the last two Room to Improve shows were teachers. Had the decision maker in the Council (in charge of grants) kids in that teacher's school class or go to school with the client or be in the same sports club or what?

Or they are telling porkies about how the job was financed and creating drama as we await to see if grants or bank loans are approved...'knife edge stuff' on all these house programmes. It's a guaranteed stock feature of these programmes. Personally I think there is plenty of money for most of these projects.

Have you a reply based on the detailed information I shared when I quoted you last or are you just going to blindly assume positive intent.

A bit like Gerry Ryan claiming he killed a sheep with a rock in a sock. It will turn out to be a fabrication for the gullible. It's clear the financials are a load of nonsense in many of the shows.

If there has been deceit and corruption there will be more than Bannon and the couple in trouble. There will probably be an inquiry with zero accountability at the end of it.

That's a damn lie .... everyone knows Elvis does Double Glazing, Loft & Wall Insulations .... "A Little Less Condensation"

Looks like they were caught. The house was neither vacant nor derelict. Some people would be of the opinion "ah sure let them away with it, it'll do". Yet the Quantity surveyor claims it was "essentially a New Build". Not a very good use of €99,000 of taxpayers funds in grants so, was it, to a couple who could afford a total investment of 700k or thereabouts?

I think there should be an investigation in to the matter at the very least, and in the absence of any clarification of the matter from D.B or his team, we can only assume the worst.

If Bannon released a statement on the matter it would clear everything up. It looks like he was uneasy when he did visit the house, he expressed surprise at the flowers etc, did he not think - from the photos and everything around the house and from talking to neighbours etc - that it was being lived in?

Sometimes from or on TV people make mistakes which haunt them. Tubridy and his scandal last year was nothing compared to this. It reminds me of a few decades ago, the prime time show on RTE on a Sunday was a reality television talent show Popstars, on which Louis Walsh was a judge. A person from Derry auditioned and eventually won a place in the final and in the band Six ( which was to be the next big pop group of all time and would change her life forever), but it was later revealed on TV during the live final, when she was questioned about something a year or two previously - that she had lied about her age, and was underage for the competition ( 16 instead of 18 or whatever) , and she was dropped.

Who are these intelligent professionals you speak of?